An Applause for an Encore
by Treenuh
Summary: PREQUEL: Three Cheers. With the Socialites off to college they faced changes they never expected in their lives. Taking the good and bad, they're just trying to find their way through it all. Trory, some Rogan.
1. Start Over Again

**AN:** I'm back guys! Haha well this is the first chapter and it'll probably leave all my Rogan fans hating me. Like I said things ahve changed and my POV in writing has greatly changed. While I still hair Rogans, I do have a taste for Trory's now also which is affecting my writing and pairings. I'm not going to say this is a Rogan because it's not, and I'm not going to say it's a Trory because it's not. I don't know where I'm taking it right now but I don't want to be limited to a specific type of Fluff you know? I'm sorry if everyone hates me now but please give it a chance!

**I don't own Gilmore Girls or the characters here. **

* * *

Logan strode his way over to his dorm room and slammed his door nosier than he had intended, waking up the two bodies that had fallen asleep to what seemed to be Casablanca on the screen. "Shit," he mumbled to himself as the bodies stirred.

One of the two stretched and rubbed his eyes, looking to the door to see Logan standing here rubbing his forehead in frustration. The figure sighed. "Can you at least be quiet when coming home at wee hours of the night after doing god knows what?"

"Shove it, McRae" Logan said softly but bitterly attempting not to fully wake the other person.

Colin shook his head at him and glared, trying not to wake the body whose head was atop his chest. Alas, the deed was done, and the blonde stretched before looking between Logan and Colin, realizing the situation.

"What time is it?" she asked with an exasperated tone.

"Seriously, you two have to stop this whole mom and dad act, it's not amusing anymore," Logan said stalking his way towards his bedroom door.

"And you have to stop this whole rebel without a cause thing, it's been over done in films," the male shot back.

"Both of you just leave me alone, I know what I'm doing," Logan said as he opened his door.

"It's been two years, Logan," the blonde warned.

"Oh please Stephanie don't start this again, it's not fucking about her," Logan shot back before slamming his bedroom door in their face and crashing into his bed. He had heard enough from the likes of them, it wasn't any of their business who he slept with, and it hadn't been since midway through Freshman year of college.

"Does she know how much she screwed Logan up?" Colin asked his girlfriend of two years now.

"Does he know how much he screwed up in general?" Stephanie shot back with defense.

"They were on a break Steph," Colin replied just as offended as Stephanie seemed.

"Yes, they were on a break, they were _not_ however, broken up. There's a line Colin, a freaking line," Stephanie said in a violent whisper before getting up and slipping on her Birkenstocks. "I'm going to head back to my dorm."

Colin shot up just as quickly as she did, "Steph wait there's no way I'm letting you go out there at 4 a.m. and let you get raped," he attempted, grabbing her wrist as she opened the front door.

"I'm sure the jackass that tries to rape with will see in my eyes not to fuck with me right now," Stephanie spat whipping her arm from Colin's grasp and leaving him there looking after her.

"Shit!" Colin yelled not even bothering to stay quiet as he slammed the door.

* * *

Logan heard the lover's quarrel going on the other side of the door and attempted to tune it out. He winced as he heard Colin curse and slam the door, knowing that he was going to get it whenever he decided to release himself from the room.

He should have been used to the scolding, and the fighting, and the frustration by now, or at least they should have been used to him going back to his old ways. After all, it had been almost 2 years since he had gone back to his old ways, and two years since he and Rory had broken up, for good.

But change was never something that Logan got used to easily.

* * *

"Do you want to talk about it Stephanie?" Lexy, Stephanie's roommate asked with a soft voice while her jet black hair fanned around her face on her pillow, her clear blue eyes making a drastic contrast.

Lexy was new to the group, but was accepted with open arms by all of them, especially since they had met her at the pub. She didn't come from money like the rest of them, but what she lacked in affluence currency wise she made up for with her outspoken personality and gorgeous physique.

"I got in a fight with Colin over Logan and Rory again," Stephanie said with a sigh.

Lexy nodded in understanding, she had become a part of the group while Rory and Logan were still together, and was there to see it all fall apart. Since she only knew the Logan that was present when he was with Rory, she immediately saw the change when the two broke it off, and it pained her to see two people who loved each other so much hurt each other the way they did.

"Just let him be Steph, there's nothing else you can do," she said a little sleepily, considering Stephanie had awoken her from her slumber.

"But he can't take fifty steps back, I understand he's trying to cope but it's been almost two years. He can't just keep doing this expecting it not to affect the people around him. I feel like I don't know him anymore. He doesn't care about anything anymore but drinking and sex," Stephanie said tearing her clothes off and changing into pajamas.

"Well there is nothing wrong with that now," Lexy replied with a yawn and a smirk, perverted was Lexy, and it was something she did not try and mask.

"Lexy," Stephanie sighed.

"I know, I know sweetie," Lexy coaxed. "Have you talked to Rory recently?" she asked as she sat up.

"Barely, but whenever I do try to bring up anything of the past she makes up an excuse to go, and it just seems so distant now," Stephanie replied.

Lexy shook her head. She had never known someone so much without actually knowing them as much as she knew Rory, if that made sense. She wished she could talk to the girl, because in all honesty she knew what she was going through. "Roll with the punches baby girl," she said before laying back down and attempting to go back to sleep.

Typical Lexy to say something like that. Stephanie shook her head with a faint smile, remembering what it was like when they first met.

"_Another night at the pub, how adventurous of us," Stephanie commented dryly as Finn led the group to their booth._

"_Better than you fussing with those room mate interviews love," Finn replied as he immediately began motioning for a waitress._

"_I hate staying by myself and I couldn't help that my room mate decided to transfer last minute and left me roomie less," Stephanie harrumphed as the waitress approached._

"_Just save it for when Rory visits," Logan suggested with a shrug._

"_Oh please, we all know that when Rory visits you two will be locked up in your room for hours at a time reenacting the newest porn flick like last time," Steph shot back with a look of disgust on her face._

"_True," Logan replied with a smirk as the waitress finally made it to the table._

"_Took you long enough," Colin said arrogantly as Steph kicked him under the table._

_The waitress glared at them, her blue eyes flashing dangerously at them as Finn nearly wet himself from excitement._

"_Well hellllo there, doll," Finn said followed with a low whistle._

"_Excuse them both, one was raised by a stick up an ass and the other by wolves," Stephanie said as an apology. The raven haired girl smiled gratefully at the kindness of Stephanie._

"_What can I get you?" she asked addressing only Logan and Stephanie._

"_Scotch please," Logan requested looking at the girls eyes only to be reminded of Rory, whom he preceded to text. The girl was beautiful, but she wasn't Rory._

"_Just a Pucker and Sprite for me," Stephanie requested. The girl nodded in recognition before walking away with Finn watching her hips sway in her short denim skirt and her tan legs connect into her high stilettos. _

"_She didn't even take our orders. What kind of service is this?" Colin fumed._

"_Personally I think you two had no right to talk to her the way you did, and you didn't deserve to get your orders taken," Steph shot back. "Right Logan?" she continued._

_Logan immediately looked up from his sidekick and wiped off the grin on his face. "What? Yeah no right," he said quickly as he leaned back in his chair. _

"_Ew! Are you two have text sex?" Stephanie asked. Logan just shrugged with a smirk._

"_None of your business," He said with a big leer before excusing himself._

"_Here you go," the waitress said placing the drinks on the table as Finn eyed her cleavage in her cami. She placed 6 shots of tequila in front of Colin and 10 of them in front of Finn._

"_I didn't order this," Colin stated obviously. _

"_Neither did I mate but this woman is a genius for knowing exactly what I wanted," Finn replied with a wink sent to the waitress._

"_I figured you could use the shots to loosen you up," the woman sent to Colin, "And you, just needed to pass out," Lexy said with a glower to Finn._

_Stephanie nearly choked on her drink, this girl was certainly a clever one, kind of like Rory but more blunt._

"_I'm not drinking these," Colin retorted as Finn already finished._

"_Well then it's on you," the girl replied before taking the shots straight up continuously, with no aid of lime or salt and sauntering off to get another table's orders, leaving Finn with his mouth hanging open, Colin looking disgusted, and Stephanie extremely amused. _

"_I'm not paying for that," he finally mustered up trying to ignore the girl's audacity._

"_If you don't I will," Stephanie replied before going after the girl, finding her behind the bar preparing a mixed drink._

"_I'm sorry about my boyfriend, he's… well he's a typical McRae," Stephanie explained._

_The girl blinked twice. "Is that supposed to mean something to me?"_

"_You're not in society are you?" Stephanie countered._

"_And how do you conclude that?"_

"_Well no offense but no one in society would ever work at the Pub and if you were in society then you would've known who he was before he even spoke," Stephanie enlightened._

"_Is that a problem that I was accepted into Yale for my brains and not my money?" the girl asked looking up from her mixer with anger in her eyes sounding quite offended._

"_No!" Stephanie exclaimed. "I didn't mean it like that it's just… ok can we start over?"_

_The girl kept silent as if to tell Stephanie to go on. "I'm Stephanie Vanderbilt," she said extending her hand in greeting._

"_I'm Alexa Mercedez, or Lexy, and despite the last name I don't come from money. I work here to pay the rent of my outrageously expensive apartment," she replied shaking Stephanie's hand and defending her employment_

"_I need a roommate," Stephanie immediately said knowing that this was the beginning of a friendship._

_The girl smiled, "Will you be here at closing?" Stephanie nodded._

"_We'll talk then," Lexy said as she pulled out a serving tray, "But don't think McRae's off the hook, he still has to pay for those shots," she said with a leer leaving Stephanie smirking at her back. She'd fit right in. _

Thinking of that though, only made Stephanie think of Rory, her best friend whom she only talked to once a month now. Her happy thoughts quickly turned sour as a stray tear fell down her face. She looked to her bedside table at a picture of her and Rory from Homecoming. "I miss you best friend," she said before drifting off to a fitful sleep.

* * *

"Finny stop!" the girl dangling from his shoulder giggled.

"Love please quiet down," he said spanking her lightly on her bottom which was covered with a pair of leggings, her skirt now around her waist due to her position, prompting the girl to giggle more.

"Shh you might wake him up," Finn scolded, feeling way too much like a parent at the moment.

"Finny are we going to have sex tonight?" the girl asked in a staged whisper. Finn froze, he couldn't believe he was about to say what he was going to say…

"No love, you've had far too much to drink," he said as he winced making his way to what he assumed to be her bedroom. "But I'd be more than happy to take up that offer when you're not off your face," he added unable to suppress a smirk.

"Deal!" the hanging figure said as he opened her bedroom door, being almost home free. Almost.

"What the hell is going on out here?!" said a muscular figure appearing from behind the door of another room in the hall way.

"Er… happy birthday mate!" Finn tried his voice wavering slightly.

"What the fuck?!" he yelled coming closed to Finn with the girl still dangling from his shoulder. "What are you doing here… and with her?!"

"Long story mate," Finn attempted.

"Finn is she wasted?" the male asked suddenly concerned.

"Not… completely…" he replied guiltily.

"Is that you babe?!" the girl questioned loudly.

The man sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Yes Rory, it's me."

"Trissy!" Rory giggled. _Oh boy. _

_Queue for the curtain to open, it's about time for an Encore._

_

* * *

_**AN: **Well yeah! Not much but I bet it has you all wondering how everyone got where they are! Hehe... feedback? Please don't be too harsh I know it's different!


	2. Things Will Be Fine

**AN:** Hey everyone thanks for the feedback! I got a comment asking if Rory was with Finn. In response, I think in order to understand this story you would have had to have read **Three Cheers for the Teenage Years** because this a sequel that will reference back to characters and events that happened in that story. Other than that thanks for the feedback. I only got 8 reviews so I feel like my original fan base has greatly diminished but thank you to everyone who stuck around!

These first couple chapters may seem slow and repetitive but it's all for the sake of where I'm going with the story. Mind you think will be a Brigade Fic which will surely bring up some interesting plot points and encounters. Stay tuned folks! I'll keep writing if you keep reading & reviewing!

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. Except I did make up Lexy, Matt, and Austin. **

* * *

Rory woke up with a pounding headache, a dry mouth, and an arm wrapped around her waist. "Crap," she mumbled to herself. Silently and carefully she lifted up the blanket covering her body to see that she had been stripped down into her underwear and a white T-shirt smelling familiar; she breathed a sigh of relief.

The last thing she remembered from the night before was that she had run into Finn at a bar, although the haze of the memory could mean one of two things: she was intoxicated, or it was a dream. _It had to have been a dream. What would Finn be doing in Boston?_

As her eyes adjusted to the all too bright room, she recognized her location as Tristan's room. She turned her body to face the owner of the arm that was currently holding her protectively and immediately recognized the face of her best friend and roommate Tristan Dugrey.

He stirred but didn't wake up. In his angelic state of sleep she couldn't help but drop her defenses a little. For the past two years things between her and Tristan had changed. As a matter of fact, things between her and everyone in her life had changed ever since she had made her decision that had altered her whole life: her decision to ask for a 'break' from her relationship with Logan.

In any other relationship, a 'break' would have been much better than a break-up, but not in this one, not in one where a whole life was built around it. When she distanced herself from Logan, she distanced herself from a piece of herself, and with that keystone out of place several others followed. And then he had made his mistake, and things just went downhill.

As much as Matt, Austin, and most of all Tristan, had tried to pick her back up from that slump, nothing had changed. She was incomplete, she wasn't Rory anymore. She pushed them away, unknowingly separating her from any attachments she had with anyone. She did the same with Finn, Colin, Stephanie, her parents; just about anyone who had some kind of value in her life. She couldn't explain the reasoning behind her actions, but she just knew that pushing them away hurt a lot less than having to tell her story of heartbreak several times, and she knew that if she heard, "Things will be okay," that it would just remind her of how much things weren't.

She was alone, and she was subsisting in her loneliness. But thriving certainly wasn't living.

So, with Tristan's face perfectly rested, Rory couldn't help but bring a hand up to stroke his cheek, a smile unconsciously gracing her face as she did so. He had been trying so hard to get in her head, to be there for her and she continued to push him away but she loved him nonetheless. He proved to be her rock, even now in her junior year of college.

Tristan felt Rory turn to face him and felt her hand reach up to touch his face but he didn't even consider reacting. It was these moments that he cherished the most. The moments when Rory would think no one was watching and she let her mask fall just a little. Times when she stopped thinking and her eyes would show the sadness in her eyes, only to be masked quickly as soon as something brought her out of her daze. The times when she would just be herself and Tristan felt like he had a chance to fix her back to who she used to be.

Slowly, and cautiously he lifted his hand currently placed on Rory's back and placed it atop hers on his face, trapping it there. He opened his eyes in time to see a gentle smile wipe from her face only to be replaced with an indifferent gaze. He frowned inwardly.

"Hey," he said his voice still heavy with sleep.

"Hi," Rory replied in monotone, her fingers squirming to get out of his grip. _That was close_. Rory thought.

Tristan quickly became frustrated and let her hand free, and it quickly went to her side, leaving his cheek feeling cold. "I love you okay Pinky?" he reached, trying to grasp hold onto a strand of Rory's vulnerability that might have been left.

"I need coffee," Rory simply stated getting out of bed and rushing out to the kitchen. "Want some?" she asked Tristan ignoring the pains from the sun she was feeling.

Tristan didn't answer as he shook his head angrily. _So close. _

Rory heard Tristan follow her into the dining room/ living room area as she sipped on her coffee with her head in one of her hands. Tristan purposely slammed his bedroom door with a vindictive smirk making Rory groan.

"What time you get home last night Rory?" he asked as he walked to the coffee pot in just his boxers. Rory didn't fail to let her eyes breeze over his well toned body, though she would never admit that to him.

"Uhh…" Rory groaned.

"Oh that's right you wouldn't know because you were carried in passed out by someone you met at the bar that you gave your key to, never mind sorry for the stupid question," Tristan shot back angrily with a glare sent towards her as he leaned forward on the counter opposite her.

"Tris…"Rory started trying to come up with a plausible excuse.

"Don't even try Rory. That's one of the fucking most ignorant, bimbo things you've done thus far. Your record's getting worse," Tristan spat his eyebrows knotting together in anger.

"Oh cut me some…" Rory attempted once more

"Slack?" Tristan finished her sentence angrily, "Oh yeah let me just let me best friend get raped and mugged… my bad! How could big bad Tristan be so mean?!"

"Oy mate what's the yelling about," Finn asked coming out Rory's room. _So it wasn't a dream_ thought Rory, unable to hide the surprise that crossed her face.

"Hello love," he added collapsing onto the nearest couch, shielding his eyes from the sun. "Is it just me or is the sun brighter in Boston?" he complained.

"You should thank Finn for saving your ass last night Rory, if it wasn't for him you might not be writing the news, you would be in it. I'm going to Austin and Matt's," he said before quickly going into his room to throw on sweats and shirt before storming out of the apartment. Rory just watched him guiltily and winced as he slammed the door behind him.

"What's got his panties in a twist?" Finn asked looking up at Rory through shielded eyes. Rory simply started at him blankly. She hadn't seen Finn since New Year's Eve in freshman year of college, but he just seemed so much the same. "Oy love, why are you staring at me like I'm a ghost? You were more than eager to see me last night," he said wiggling his eyebrows.

A pause. "I'm dreaming. I have to be," Rory said softly to herself rubbing her eyes.

"No love, although I know I make many appearances in your dreams, this is not one of them. This is Real Finny live, all finny all the time."

"Finn… how… why… what are you doing here?" Rory stuttered.

"I came to see you doll, I was tired of this game of tag we've been playing. Finny missed you," he said with a goofy grin.

"You could've called," Rory replied blankly, her mask coming back up quickly.

"You could have too doll," Finn rebutted.

"How long are you here for?"

"Two more days love," Finn replied with a smile. "Won't it be fun?!"

"Oh yeah…" Rory lied._ "Tons."_

* * *

"She's fucking nuts, that's the conclusion I have," Tristan spewed motioning to the apartment above Austin and Matt's.

"So wait she's up there with Finn right now?" Austin asked trying to keep up with this unusual turn of events.

Tristan just nodded. "She was herself this morning for a second when she was lying in bed with me, but as soon as she realized I was awake it was back to pretending nothing mattered," he said more to himself than to anyone else.

Austin couldn't help the look of jealousy that crossed his features, and although Tristan was too engrossed in his own thoughts to notice it, Matt did.

Matt shook his head and made his way to the kitchen. He was getting tired of his two best guy friends and the games they played. Both of them were hiding something, but in the most obvious way. He knew that this would turn into something much worse but for the moment he didn't want to get into it. He didn't know what was running through either of their minds, and whether their jealousies were out of habit, or if there was a deeper meaning behind them and frankly he didn't want to know.

"Do you guys want anything to eat?" he called from the fridge, attempting to cut the tension that only he might have been aware of.

"Eggs benedict would be great," Austin replied snapping out of jealous daze.

"All your lazy ass is getting a microwave bacon," Matt replied cause Tristan to actually chuckle.

"Someone's not getting any," Tristan commented.

"Says the man whose condoms expired junior year of high school," Austin shot back with a smirk.

Tristan glared at him, "Sorry Austin I guess I can't compete with the action you get from your hand," Tristan shot back.

"Funny," Austin replied rolling his eyes before getting up and walking towards his room.

"Uh oh watch out guys Austin's about to get some!" Tristan yelled in a not so joking tone.

"Shut the fuck up Dugrey," Austin spat before slamming his bedroom door behind him causing Matt to wince at the awkward exchange that had just happened.

"Tristan what the hell was that?" Matt asked shaking his head.

"What?!" he yelled back.

"That 'my dick is bigger than yours' argument that just happened!" Matt replied.

Tristan let out a sound of frustration. "I don't fucking know. I fucking hate Rory for doing this to me. It's like I can't do shit without stressing out about her and wanting to know what she's thinking."

Matt replied with silence. He had no idea what to say to something like, so he lied. "Things will be fine Dugrey, she'll be back soon."

* * *

"Hmm, does this look a little draggish?" Steph asked Lexy scrunching her nose up at the smell of nail polish white wiggling her toes carefully to inspect her hot pink coat.

Lexy came to sit next to her pressing play on the chick flick they had decided to watch, tilting her head to the side as if the change of angle would help her decide.

"No, but may I remind you it's January… therefore no one will be seeing your toes," Lexy reasoned.

"Right," Stephanie said biting her lip. "January"

"How many months does that make it?" Lexy asked becoming serious.

"Uh…" Stephanie thought tugging at the bottom of her shirt, "Last time I talked to her was October."

"Oh," Lexy replied.

"Yeah." Stephanie said staring off into space.

After a moment of silence Lexy spoke. "Are things ever going to be… happy again? With everyone I mean? Not just when Logan's not around?"

Stephanie looked back at her friend with a sad smile. "It's hard you know? When you're missing half of your group? It's hard when things start changing."

Lexy sighed. As much as she was all for Rory coming around and making the group complete again, so that people could be happy and get along again, she couldn't understand _why_ she was so important to the group. "Stephanie, if there's one thing I learned it's that you have to be friends with a person now."

"What do you mean?" Stephanie asked.

"I mean…" Lexy started not wanting this to come out wrong, "What I mean is that you can't be friends with Rory two years ago. If you want Rory in your life, you have to be friends with the Rory now. You can't expect a person to change to who they used to be because who are you to say that what the person's become isn't the person their supposed to be? I mean, what if this is Rory now and this is how Rory will be forever?"

Stephanie shook her head at Lexy, "Lexy, this isn't Rory; it never used to be and it isn't now. I don't know how to explain it… it's just, I know she's still in there. Her heart's still there," Stephanie said he voice cracking unintentionally.

Lexy nodded, not wanting to start an argument. As Stephanie cried, Lexy just took her into her arms. "Things will be fine, she'll be back soon."

* * *

"Dude, where's Finn?" Colin finally asked after sitting at the bar at the pub for half an hour now.

Logan simply shrugged as a potential flavor of the week hopped onto the bar stool next to him, eagerly weaving her arm around his waist and kissing his neck as her greeting. Logan smirked and threw and arm around her shoulder giving her a kiss on the lips. Colin looked on disgusted.

"He's been gone since last night, and he's not answering his phone," Colin replied ignoring the fact that Logan's attention was otherwise claimed.

"You know him, he'll show up," he said further entwining himself with.

"Or we could find out he's dead a ditch and all you did to help was stick your tongue down your weekly slut's throat," Colin spat becoming angry at Logan's lack of concern over their friend.

Colin's anger caused the girl to pull away from Logan and glare, yet still remained rooted to her spot by Logan's arm. Logan clenched his jaw. "He's a big boy Colin, he'll be fine. He'll be back soon."  


* * *

**Feedback fuels my thoughts!**


	3. Finn!

**AN:** Hey everyone thanks for all the feedback! I haven't been getting as many reviews as I did for Three Cheers and I'll admit it's got me bummed but thank you to everyone who has been reviewing it really inspires my writing. There are questions as to what's going on and where I'm going with this but I don't really think I can answer that because I'd rather the story tell itself than me tell the story. It may feel like it's going slow, but it's because I'm trying to catch everyone up on the past two years of their lives. Well here goes the next chapter!

**I don't own Gilmore girls.**

* * *

"Can you describe him to me?" The officer asked in a bit of a condescending tone.

"How hard will it be to find a loud obnoxious Australian man who's half drunk 90% of the time all of the time?" Lexy asked annoyed at the overweight officer and his writing pad.

"What she means to say," Logan jumped in with a glare sent to Lexy, "He's kind of hard to miss."

"Which is why he's been gone for 3 days now and you've only contacted us now?" remarked the officer's partner.

"Well… he's been known to go missing at times; we thought it was just one of his… absences?" Stephanie replied innocently. The police officers frowned at the group of college students.

"Look, can something be done?" Colin asked irritated, not helping the situation. Just as the officers were about to reply, Stephanie's cell phone singing 'Pretty Fly for a White Guy' by Offspring. Recognizing the personal ring tone, Stephanie answered quickly.

"Finn?!" she yelled. "Finn?" the other three echoed. "Finn," the officers grumbled through gritted teeth before shaking their heads and leaving the apartment, feeling they had wasted time from their precious duties as campus patrol.

"Finn!" Finn replied through the phone loud enough for everyone to here. Shaking her head along with the rest of the group, Stephanie put Finn on speaker while taking a seat soon followed by Logan, Lexy, and Colin.

"Where the fuck have you been!?" Lexy yelled angrily trough the phone.

"In your dreams doll," Finn replied as he sifted his way through Rory's drawers while she was at class, peeking over his shoulder to assure Tristan wouldn't be coming in anytime soon.

"Finn, seriously," Logan scolded. "You took off without so much as a word and your phone has sent all 53 of our calls straight to voice mail."

"Logan mate! You miss me?" Finn replied with a grin.

"Answer the question Finn," Steph commanded.

"Well don't get your grundies in a twist love. I just took a little trip, visiting some old friends," he replied vaguely.

"What friends?" Colin asked, although he had a clue and wasn't sure Logan would take it well.

"I wonder if she'd notice these were missing," Finn asked himself holding up a lacy piece of lingerie that belonged to Rory.

"Finn!" Lexy pressed.

"I knew you'd scream my name one day love," Finn said.

"Finn!" Logan repeated frustrated.

"Sorry mate, I'd have to say _that_ fantasy was not one on my top 10."

"Finn!" the four yelled in unison.

Just as Finn was about to answer, a voice from behind him mimicked the phone conversation. "Finn!" Tristan yelled, "What are you doing in Rory's room?!"

"Ay mates that's my queue to leave! See you in two days!" Finn yelled before the line went dead, leaving four stunned faces listening to silence.

"Did he just say…" Lexy started.

"Rory," Colin replied noticing Logan flinch.

"And was that…" Lexy attempted again.

"Tristan," Stephanie replied.

Logan frowned, a mix of emotions tossing in him although he barely let it reach his face. It had been a while since he heard about either of them, mainly because he diverted his attention to his latest conquest every time any mention of them was brought up. Hearing about Tristan still staying with Rory caused a familiar pang of jealousy; he didn't know if their relationship had changed since the breakup. He missed Rory, though he would never admit it, and it pained him to think that she was off at Boston continuing her life as if nothing ever happened, and here he was changed forever. He was terribly mistaken.

It pained Stephanie also to hear the mention of Rory, and it actually brought a pang of jealousy to know that Finn was seeing his old best friend, and a slight offense that he hadn't mentioned it nor invited her. She missed Rory, and she missed Tristan too, all she wanted was to hear from them.

Colin too sat wondering what this other bump in the road would bring once again to the group, as if things weren't bad enough. Rory was his friend, he cared for her like an older brother and he missed her. He would never speak those words though, because Colin McRae wasn't supposed to care. "Now what?" he asked in apprehension.

Lexy gauged Logan's reaction. For a second he looked vulnerable, but his walls quickly built back up as Colin brought him out of his daze. "Nothing, we know where Finn is now. Problem solved," Logan replied getting up and grabbing his coat.

"Where are you going?" Stephanie asked.

"Pub," he replied before walking out and slamming the door behind him.

Stephanie and Colin exchanged an uneasy glance but Lexy got up and went right after him.

Logan just wanted to get away; he didn't want to deal with that shit anymore. As far as he was concerned Rory never existed, and he was fine feeding himself that lie.

"Logan!" Lexy called after him, jogging to his side and walking in pace with him.

"What?" he asked blankly, not looking her in the eyes. He hated looking into her eyes, they were the brightest blue. _Like Rory's_.

"Can you talk to me please?" she asked grabbing his arm and pulling him to a halt.

"Sure, I like your top," he said pointing to her Mayday Parade T-shirt she had cut up and made into a dress.

Lexy frowned. "You know that's not what I'm talking about Logan."

Logan averted her eyes. "There's nothing to talking about. Finn's fine, he's visiting some 'old friends' like he said. Good riddance."

Lexy took Logan's chin and forced him to look at her. It pained it him to stare into her familiar baby blues. "When are you going to stop this act Logan?"

Logan frowned. "When are you going to realize it's not an act Lexy? This is me, deal with it."

"You still love her," she stated, "At least own up to that fact that you made a mistake and you still love her." Logan's eyes darkened with anger.

"What _mistake_ did I make exactly?" Logan asked through gritted teeth and moving out of her grasp.

"You cheated on her Logan," Lexy replied not beating around the bush.

Logan snapped. "She fucking broke up with me! We were done!" he yelled back catching the attention of several passerby's. "You don't know shit Lexy!" he finished before storming off.

Lexy stood wondering how things had twisted around in their world again, remembering who had started this all. "Finn," she sighed.

* * *

As Finn quickly ended the call, he found himself in a compromising position. There he stood in Rory's closet, hovering over her underwear drawer, with a couple items currently thrown on for god knows what reason.

"Finn!" Tristan repeated himself entering her closet, "Oh my God," he said shocked. There was Finn indeed hovering over Rory's drawer but what seriously disturbed Tristan was the fact that Finn had taken it upon himself to put on one of Rory's red lacy bras with a matching thong over his clothes. He noted that the thong looked very close to snapping around Finn's wide hips before realizing that he also had one of Rory's scarves through haphazardly around his shoulders and her favorite Yves Saint Laurent purse tucked under his arm.

"Mate I can explain!" Finn said throwing his hands up in the air revealing he had on several large stoned rings.

Tristan motioned with his hand for him to go ahead with a suspecting eyebrow raised.

"You see mate, Austin and Matt had some of her stuff when they went away to Zuberg… so I only thought it was fair I should get some stuff too," Finn stated inching his way towards the door.

"And so… I know the best way to remember Rory is through her great assets," he said motioning to the bra and thong he had on. That was the wrong thing to say because Tristan's questioning look turned into a glare.

"Finn," he practically growled.

"Yes mate?" he asked with a sheepish smile.

"Run," Tristan simply stated before giving Finn a 2 second start before going after him, with the soul purpose to get Rory's stuff back and maybe smack him around a little.

"Ay!" Finn yelled and Tristan quickly caught up to him as her made his way into the living room.

"Mate, it doesn't have to be this way! She won't notice these are missing!" he yelling dodging Tristan as he grabbed for him over the couch.

"You're insane!" Tristan yelled trying to make his way behind the couch only to have Finn run to the other side.

"Don't be so possessive mate! There's plenty of her to share!" Finn yelled. The change in Tristan's expression caused him to become frightened. Tristan lunged toward Finn bringing them both to a group in a position that they failed to realize was extremely homosexual. With Finn, pinned to the ground Tristan began to strip him of Rory's bra he was sporting. Just as he was doing so the front door opened revealing a wide eyed Rory. The two quickly jumped apart.

* * *

Rory heard the raucous on the other side of the door but disregarded assuming Finn was watching a cartoon. Making sure her stolid face was in place, she unlocked the door to find a sight she was not at all prepared for as the surprise reached her face. There before her, was Finn wearing _her_ items and accessories, straddled by Tristan who was angrily unhooking Finn's _bra._

As the two quickly jumped apart Rory could help herself and for the first time in two years, Rory actually laughed. It wasn't a chuckle either; it was a down-on-the-floor-gasping-for-air-crying kind of laugh.

Tristan watched her expression of surprise suddenly change as a strange unfamiliar noise escaped her lips. Tilting his head in confusing, Tristan's mind registered the long lost sound as her _laughing. _Without hesitation he smiled… his best friend was actually happy.

Rory gasped for air managing to get out the words, "Sorry I should go, I think I interrupted something," she cackled. Finn saw Tristan's smile and smiled with him. He couldn't help it, the sound of her long lost happiness was contagious.

"Or you can join love," Finn suggested wiggling his eye brows.

"Ew Finn that actually implies we were doing something," Tristan said with a disgusted look. Rory, who was actually gaining her composure, lost it once more. She clutched onto the kitchen breakfast counter for support.

After a few minutes, she finally contained herself, wiping the tears from her eyes to see Tristan and Finn staring at her with smiles. Her face went blank, she had let herself go unintentionally and now she was stuck, she knew this could lead to them forcing her to talk, like _really_ talk.

Finn, sensing Tristan's desire for privacy with Rory, made a lame excuse about visiting his mates downstairs before leaving the apartment. Rory and Tristan were left staring at each other.

Tristan approached Rory cautiously, as if trying not to startle her. Rory realized what he was trying to do and stiffened, ready to avoid his gaze, his smile, his touch.

"Rory," he said in a pained voice. "Please," he practically begged, his eyes watering at the fear of losing her. It wasn't fair. She couldn't just laugh like that, and be herself like that and then just run pretending it didn't happen.

Tristan finally reached her at his painfully slow pace trapping her at the breakfast counter between his arms. She looked down but Tristan immediately placed a finger on her chin, bringing her eyes up to meet his swimming ones.

It was when she saw the pleading, the pain in his eyes that she knew that avoiding him was out of the question. She _needed_ him and for the first time she realized that maybe he needed her too. As his thumb brushed invisible tears from her face he spoke again, desperate not to lose her. "I miss you Pinky," he whispered.

That was all it took for all of Rory's walls to come crashing down and the flood of emotion come through. "Oh Tristan, I'm so sorry," her voice coming out cracked as she immediately wrapped her arms around his waist in a tight embrace.

Tristan blinked not believing what was happening before quickly returning the embrace tightly, smelling her hair and kissing the top of her head repeatedly mumbling the words, "You're okay now Rory. You're okay."

Rory continued to sob as Tristan led her to the couch where he pulled her into his lap, cradling her while stroking her comfortingly and kissing her face. "I love you," he whispered into her hair.

She mumbled something back in coherently but he shushed her. "You don't have to say anything Rory. There's plenty of time for that. Tonight, just feel again."

Images of high school passed in her mind, the last sights of Logan, of Stephanie, of Colin. Images of Tristan trying to reach out to her, angered and concerned faces of Austin and Matt, flashes of a time when things weren't so different. As the fleeting images replayed in her mind she knew she was indeed feeling again, she was _back_.

* * *

**AN:** I think people need to understand that this is a major breakthrough, it may have come quickly and seemingly easy but this is a big deal! Haha before this Rory was just kind of... there. You may all wonder why it happend so early ... its because I can't stand writing emo Rory and I'm sure it may get annoying reading it too! Tis all!

Reviews make me smile.


	4. Just Like the Walruses

**AN**: Thanks for the reviews! Warning there is some Trory action in here! I haven't decided where the story will end up; but I know there will be Trory, Rogan, and Trogan!

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

"Good to have you back Hayden!" Matt exclaimed as Rory came barreling into their apartment with a smile on her face, Tristan and Finn both following with matching expressions.

Rory eagerly jumped into Matt's open arms as he lifted her up and kissed her head. "Good to be back Matt," she replied as he put her back down.

It was just last night that Rory and completely soaked Tristan's shirt crying her eyes out before she had calmed down and she and Tristan had talked about everything . Soon after she fell asleep, and Tristan carried her to his bed before letting Finn know the progress they had made.

* * *

"_Tell me what happened to you Rory, why did you do it?" he asked. "I never really understood why you broke up with Logan… and you didn't even hint you were going to do it. And after that, there wasn't getting anything out of you."_

_Rory hiccupped, recovering from her sobbing. "I was so overwhelmed: with school, at the paper, with our parents changing, with everything changing. It scared me how much less and less I would talk to him until I finally realized that I was neglecting him. He didn't deserve that and I needed to get things back into order so I asked for a break. I guess I couldn't expect to keep him through it, I guess it was just wishful thinking."_

_Tristan immediately became angry. "He fucked up Rory, don't blame this on yourself. __**Logan**__ screwed up. He owed it to you to wait for you and he didn't," his words coming out harsher than intended. _

_Rory's tears started again. "I'm sorry that came out wrong," Tristan apologized hugging her tightly._

"_No you're right… he didn't wait…" Rory said. After a moment of silence Rory started again. "I don't know what led to me pushing everyone else away. I just didn't want to deal with it all, with hearing the same thing over and over again. I figured if I ignored the problem, it would make it easier to pretend it never happened."_

"_Pinky, I wouldn't have forced you to talk about it if you didn't want to," Tristan assured. _

"_I know, but I just couldn't Tristan…" Rory replied looking him in the eyes. Despite her puffy swollen, glistening orbs and mused up hair, he couldn't but help that think she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen in the world._

_Instead of saying anything, Tristan took her head in his hands and kissed her eye lids closed, stroking her cheeks with his hands. Rory sighed in bliss despite her sadness, and kissed his cheek before bringing her lips to his ear. "I missed you so much Tristan," she whispered her hot breath sending tingles to his body. _

"_I missed you too Rory," he responded unable to stop his eyes from darkening with lust as she nuzzled her face into his neck._

_They failed to notice each other shiver, because they were too distracted by their own tremors. _

_This could be a problem._

_

* * *

_

"I was always here," Rory argued lamely. She knew that was a straight lie.

"But not as Rory," Austin said coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist while kissing her cheek.

Tristan averted his eyes which Austin noticed.

Austin smirked. When Rory had started pushing them away Austin's attraction towards her started increasing. The more guys she seemed to hook up with, the more he wanted her. He wasn't sure if they were genuine feelings or if they were more 'you always want what you can't have', but either way he felt like it was always constant competition for her heart, and that fueled him.

Matt frowned. He didn't like this cutthroat turn that their friendship was taking. Things with Rory and Logan made things easier. He didn't have to break up a verbal argument every ten minutes with Tristan and Austin that way, and he didn't have to worry about his friends wanting to nail their child hood friend.

Finn grinned; it was a nice cloudy rainy day. No sun sun, no complaints.

Rory turned her body and stroked Austin on his cheek, admiring his jaw line. It felt so good to be hugged meaningfully again. "Thanks for waiting around then Austin," she said hugging him tightly around the neck.

"Always, Hayden," he replied kissing the top of her head and inhaling her sweet scent.

"We should do something!" Matt exclaimed breaking everyone out of their mental soliloquies. He couldn't deal with this right now; he needed something to break the tension.

"Like what?" Rory asked pulling away from Austin only to have Finn's arm perched across her shoulders.

"I don't know, this is your welcome back party!" Matt exclaimed all too excited, trying to mask his paranoia with anticipation.

"Finny's too, mate!" he exclaimed. Matt nodded eagerly. "Yeah, yeah Finny's too!" he repeated. "Let's go, do something!"

Rory frowned confused and not too excited. "Finn can pick…" she said uneasily.

Finn's eyes lit up. "Sea lions!" he exclaimed.

"Wha-?" Everyone questioned.

"Finny wants to see the sea lions!" he repeated pulling a brochure out from the New England Aquarium out of his back pocket. Matt noticed Tristan and Austin ready to protest but he cut in quickly.

"Sounds perfect, let's all get ready!" Matt exclaimed pushing Finn and Rory towards the door. "Gotta get there quick, don't want the sharks to er… fall asleep," he excused.

"Actually sharks can't sleep or else they'll…" Rory started to say but Matt just nodded profusely and pushed her out the door slamming it on her and Finn.

"That was weird…" Rory said staring at the door shut in front of her. Finn only shrugged. "Let's go love! The sea lions await!" he exclaimed running off, dragging her with him. Rory giggled, it was nice to be back.

* * *

"What's with you?" Tristan said in a disbelieving tone.

"Yeah dude, I had no clue how passionate you felt about… sea lions," Austin agreed. Matt glared at them.

"You can thank yourselves for our trip to the fucking aquarium we're taking," Matt glared. Austin and Tristan shot each other a confused look, it wasn't often Matt got pissed, but from his look they could tell he was furious.

"Seriously?!" he asked, "There's no way you two could possibly be that oblivious!" he yelled.

Tristan and Austin started at him blankly, Matt's frown deepened. "I'm so goddamn tired of watching you two quite literally fight each other for Rory's attention!" Matt yelled.

Both Austin's and Tristan's faces turned from confusion to a glare but Matt stuck a hand up telling them to stop. "Don't even try and fucking fool yourselves into thinking that you haven't been competing, because I've seen it over and over again. You guys are practically necking with her trying to get the other jealous. And for what?" Matt yelled.

Tristan and Austin didn't say a word, because sadly they knew how right he was and felt disgusting for inadvertently playing their sick games.

"You guys better figure out what the fuck you want," Matt warned, "You know Rory's been through enough and we're supposed to be there for her, not take advantage of her when she's vulnerable."

Matt sighed as the guys looked on dismayed, they had never been scolded by him before and it was a strange, embarrassing feeling. Matt sighed.

"Listen if you guys really have genuine feelings for Rory… and this isn't just a macho trip thing then go for it," Matt explained, "But if even just an ounce of you think you're going to hurt her, then **know** I'll kill you before one of you touches her," he warned before leaving the two to their thoughts.

"I'm gonna go get ready…" Austin said rubbing the back of his neck nervously and not willing to look at Tristan. He was ashamed, and as much as he hated to admit it to himself, he was beginning to think Tristan's feelings were far more genuine than his but then he remembered what it felt like to have Rory smiling in his arms again…and he wasn't so sure.

"Yeah…" Tristan replied before sitting down on the couch defeated. _When did this happen? When did I become the one being warned and Matt became the only one protecting her? As much as I hate to admit, I've been letting this whole Austin thing get me so pissed that I was turning it into a competition. But that __**doesn't**__ change the fact that I care more about Rory than I care about anything else in this world. Damnit, I just want her to be happy. I just want her to smile and laugh like she used to before this whole mess…I just want her to… _

Tristan was broken out of his trance upon Rory's reentrance. She approached him laughing, her blue eyes shining with a happiness he had missed for quite some time. She was dressed in a tight black sweater that had a low neckline with a pair of fitted skinny jeans and leather boots. "Finn's been reenacting Happy Feet down there for me," she giggled, "It's great."

Tristan smiled up at her standing before him. "Good old Finn, I'm happy he came here… he helped to get you back," Tristan admitted.

Rory grinned shyly, "I'm really happy he came. I know I'm going to cry when he leaves tomorrow."

Tristan chuckled before pulling her onto his lap intrinsically. "That makes two of us Pinky… except mine may be tears of joy," he joked.

Rory laughed and slapped jokingly as Tristan started at her smiling. _I just want her._

_

* * *

_"Love look at the baby penguins!" Finn exclaimed dragging Rory along with his fingers interlaced in hers. Rory laughed and complied. "They're like wearing little tuxes," Rory said tapping the glass.

Matt shook his head at their antics. It was pretty much like babysitting, but it was better than having to deal with Austin and Tristan bickering. Instead they followed quietly, looking every now and then at displays that Rory or Finn got particularly excited about.

"You guys are quiet," Matt pointed out as Finn and Rory went to look at the walrus tank.

"Yeah well, not much to say after your bitch fit this morning," Austin grumbled.

"Why? Because you hate admitting I'm right?" Matt shot back.

"Yeah, pretty much," Tristan replied gaining a surprised looked from his two best friends. Tristan shrugged, "Come on Austin we both know things were getting out of hand. We were letting weird unexplainable feelings get in the way."

Austin paused for a little before answering. "Yeah… I don't know what got into me man… It was some weird caveman shit or something."

"So there weren't any real feelings involved?" Matt asked the two of them. Tristan looked at his feet and Austin gave him a scrutinizing glance.

"Well T-Man?" Austin asked him.

"That question was for you too you know."

"Don't avoid my question!" Austin spat back.

"Shut the fuck up!" Matt said in a hushed yell. "That answers my question for both of you. But can you guys kinda just lay off each other and Rory… I mean she's broken and she needs time to be fixed."

Tristan sighed. "Don't act like I haven't been trying to."

Austin scoffed, "Says the guy who sleeps with her." Tristan glared back.

"Enough!" Matt said rubbing his head. "She doesn't want either of you. Let's remember who she's been hurting over for the past two years. Logan, not Tristan, not Austin! So let's try and be the good friends that she deserves and put our feelings aside, like the feelings of absolute annoyance I have towards you guys, and just _help_ her. Then you guys can fucking hash it out in a mud pit for all I care."

"He's right…" Tristan admitted looking up at Austin. "We have bigger fish to fry."

"Don't freaking say that in an aquarium!" Austin said looking around panicked. Tristan chuckled.

"Truce Hayes?" Tristan said sticking his hand out. Austin extended it and shook it. "The things we go through for this girl," Austin said shaking his head.

Tristan nodded, "I can't agree with you anymore man."

"Finally," Matt said as the three began their search for Rory and Finn again.

* * *

"Ha! Look at those three walruses fighting over that girl walrus!" Rory laughed pointing. "They look so ridiculous."

Finns eyebrows rose. _Ironic_ "Quite familiar love, ay?" he asked her nudging her playfully in the ribs.

Rorys eyebrows furrowed together in response. "What are you talking about Finn?"

Just as he opened his mouth to answer, Finn was interrupted by their three friends approaching with more ease in their steps than before. "There you guys are!" Austin exclaimed throwing an arm around Rory.

"Oh nothing love," Finn said grinning towards Rory who was already distracted by her three guy friends.

* * *

**AN: **It may seem like a filler, but it's not! It's trying to tell who's phony with their feelings & who's fake, and basically what the two years have done to the group.

Reviews inspire.


	5. Talking and Yelling

**IMPORTANT AN: **Hey guys thanks so much for all the reviews again, I received many concerns/questions/comments about the pairing. I've come to the conclusion that this story will become a **Trory** with scenes of **Rogan **thrown in here and there. I know that this series began as a Rogan, and it's what gave me the amazing supportive fan base that I have now, but I can't continue writing for a pairing that I'm no longer passionate for, it's not my thing to force a writing style on myself and spit out chapters that aren't me. Regardless, I'd like to thank all my fans that have stuck with me thus far.

I know I may lose some fans, and may gain some more. But I am grateful for all of your wonderful support despite what you may decide. This story will not solely be based on the pairing as Three Cheers was, it's more about the group finding themselves and each other again. That doesn't mean there won't be some naughty scenes between several pairings through.

So for those of you who decide this story's no longer for you, thank you for all of your support and I'm sorry I'm sure there are plenty of other great Rogans out there for you. And for those of you who stay thank you for keeping your mind open, I hope I won't disappoint. :)

**Disclaimer: I own nothing **_Italics are thoughts!_

**

* * *

**"I'm going to miss you so much Finn," Rory mumbled into his chest as she hugged him tightly around the waist.

Finn chuckled holding onto her just as tight. "I'll miss you too love, but you don't have to be a stranger," he said looking down at her.

Rory nodded against his chest. "Tell Stephanie she should be expecting a call from me soon," she said pulling away and looking him in the eyes. He winked and gave her a peck on the lips. "I knew you'd come around doll." he said before untangling himself from Rory and picking up his luggage. "I'd better get downstairs so mates can bring me to the airport."

Rory smiled wistfully. "Finn…" she said before he walked out the door. He turned to look at her questioningly. "Thank you… your visit… it…" Rory stuttered at a loss of words on how to truly explain how much Finn had really done for her.

"I knew one day I'd leave you speechless kitten," he said with a wink before closing the door behind him. Rory just shook her head smiling before getting ready to go to her class.

* * *

"Everything ready dude?" Matt asked opening the door to let Finn in.

Finn nodded, "Would you be dolls and take my bags to my car?" Finn asked batting his eye lashes at him and Austin who looked at him disgusted.

"Please mates?" he begged again throwing an arm around each of them and giving them a kiss on the cheeks. Both quickly jumped away and wiped their cheeks off with disgusted expressions.

"Anything to avoid that shit," Austin replied quickly grabbing one of Finn's bags. Matt nodded in agreement before disappearing with Finn's duffle.

Finn chuckled as Tristan came out of the bathroom. Tristan looked up confused. "Where'd everyone go?" he asked greeting Finn.

"I wanted to be alone with you so I could have a naughty with you, continue where we left off last night mate," Finn said with a wink before helping himself to some vodka. Tristan rolled his eyes, not even taken aback by Finn's demeanor.

"Finn seriously?" Tristan asked motioning to his glass half full of the clear liquid. "It's ten o'clock in the morning!"

Finn frowned and pulled a gallon of orange juice out of the fridge, putting a splash of the orange liquid into his glass, turning his beverage a pale yellow. "Happy?" Finn asked before downing it. Tristan laughed.

"Where's Rory?" Tristan asked Finn while checking his appearance in the mirror.

"She has class today mate," Finn replied.

"Oh yeah, I forgot," Tristan replied as Finn eyed him knowingly.

"Are you going to tell her mate?" Finn asked.

"Tell who what?" Tristan asked turning around to face Finn with a confused expression.

Finn sighed. "Don't make this difficult mate are you going to tell Rory you love her?"

Tristan's eyes shot up from his watch quickly. "What?"

Finn ran a hand through his unruly hair and cursed himself for bringing it up. He thought that when Austin and Tristan had begun acting like things were okay between them, the fact that Tristan was in love with Rory was no longer such a taboo topic. Apparently, he was mistaken.

"Mate… you're in love with Rory," Finn stated simply. "Are you going to let her know or just keep ogling her from afar?"

"I have not been _ogling _her," Tristan glared. _At least not purposely._

Finn put his hands up feigning innocence. "Mate, I don't know what I've missed the past couple months, or in the past couple years but as soon as I walked into that apartment with Rory on my shoulder I could practically taste the tension that you two had going on in that apartment. At first I was worried because I wasn't sure if you just wanted bone her, but then I saw the way you looked at her mate…"

"I…" Tristan attempted but Finn continued.

"If anyone can pick her up and _really _bring her back to who she used to be it's going to be you. I might have broken down the Berlin wall, but there's still a Red Scare mate," Finn said. Leave it to him to relate Rory and Tristan to irrelevant World History.

"She's my best friend Finn. I can't get into that. And she still loves Logan," Tristan said strained.

Finn shook his head, "I hate to say it mate, but Logan doesn't deserve her. Not after her broke her, if he's willing to make it up to her then maybe eventually he will. But you were there for her forever, when no one else was. You deserve her more than any guy out there."

Tristan closed his eyes in frustration. "She doesn't want me Finn."

"Mate you claim to know her so well, but you can't see that she not only wants you but needs you too?" he asked incredulously. "The way you look at her, it's the same way she looks at you. I'm not telling you to tap that ASAP, I'm just saying… people deserve a 2nd chance. Austin's had his, and Logan's had his, so unless Matt wants to hop on the Rory train I think it's about your turn."

Tristan didn't have anything to say because secretly he hoped that Finn was right. "We'd better get going," he mumbled.

Finn nodded throwing an arm around his friend. "Gonna miss me?" he said with a smirk.

Tristan laughed while punching him in the arm. "So much," he replied sarcastically.

* * *

Rory walked into her apartment from her afternoon class and was greeted by a delicious smell at the door. "Tristan?" she asked hanging up her coat and walking towards the dining area.

"Hey Pinky!" he said over a mess of pots and pans he was working on at the stove.

"Got a hot date Trissy?" Rory asked eyeing the delicious food he was preparing.

"Yeah hot brunette, blue eyes, long legs, nice ra-"

"Finish that sentence and I'm smacking you," Rory said with a playful glare. Tristan chuckled and left the stove momentarily to greet Rory with a hug and a kiss on the cheek before returning to his task.

"So what's the attire for this said date?" Rory asked squinting as she tried to evaluate the answer from Tristan's attire. He was in a dark washed jeans and a well fitting forest green thermal rolled up to his sleeves. Rory allowed her eyes to linger on his back muscles a while longer.

"Anything you're comfortable in Rory," he said turning around to find Rory staring farther down than need be. Rory quickly turned her head and blushed furiously. Tristan couldn't help but smirk at her reaction.

"See something you like?" he asked coming up next to her as she avoided his gaze. She blushed deeper causing him to chuckle.

"You're allowed to touch you know, it's like a room mate privilege," he quipped invading her personal space.

Rory's eyes went up to meet his in a glare, but smile quickly changed to a smirk. "You know what I'd actually really _love _Tristan?" she asked roaming a finger down his front side, between his abs making his shiver under her touch.

"Wha?" he asked with a sharp intake of breath. _Okay, this was not how it was supposed to go_.

"I'd like you…" Rory started getting on his tippy toes and bringing her mouth to his ear, "To..," she continued bringing her other hand to the back of his neck to play with his little hairs here. "Finish up my dinner. Cause I'm starving!" she exclaimed as giggles took over her as she scampered to her room, her pace full of self satisfaction.

Tristan glared at her, "You'll be lucky if I don't spit in it now Hayden!" he yelled at her before shaking his head with a smile. It was good to have her back. _Yet so sexually frustrating. No, I didn't just think that._

_

* * *

_Rory stared at her walk in closet blankly, messing with Tristan was fun, but now she was left at a loss on what to wear and actually feeling a little _nervous._ She gulped at that thought. Her and Tristan had been friends since they were kids, so why exactly was she having these unreasonable feelings _now_. Shaking her head at herself she quickly pushed those thoughts from her mind and opted for a nice pair of skinny jeans and an off shoulder black sweater, throwing her hair up in a messy bun and putting on her fuzzy slippers.

She returned to the dining room to see Tristan was shutting off the burners and getting ready to plate. "What you make?" Rory asked grabbing a couple placemats and utensils and setting the table.

"Stuffed fillet mignon with a side of homemade macaroni and cheese and twice baked potatoes," Tristan said pulling a pan out of the oven.

Rory's eyes got big at the delicious sight of food. "You truly know the way to a Gilmore Girl's heart."

"Well I would hope so, I've been dealing with them all my life," Tristan laughed as he set a plate down for him and Rory.

"So what's the occasion?" Rory asked taking a seat close to Tristan at the round glass table.

Tristan smiled and took her hand, "Because you're back," he replied before the two easily slipped into conversation and enjoyed their dinner for two.

* * *

They had basically gone through everything from the past two years as if they hadn't seen each other every day. The minute details know, not the ones that were hard to talk about and hard to listen to. They were so far avoiding the topic of Rory's promiscuous behavior, and the numerous fights the two had because of it. They grazed over Tristan's painful struggles of trying to get Rory back, and the nights where he felt just as alone as her because he too was missing a piece of him because his best friend wasn't there. But there was only so much they could do to avoid the topic.

Surprisingly, it was Rory who decided to delve into it. "Tristan… can you tell me who I was these past two years? I know I wasn't me… but I want to know who I was to _you._"

_You were still everything. _Tristan sighed.

* * *

"Home sweet home!" Finn proclaimed dropping his luggage on the floor before stripping himself down to his boxers before heading straight to the kitchen to pour himself some of his heavenly liquid, totally ignoring Colin, Logan, Stephanie and Lexy staring at him in disbelief.

"Miss me mates, kittens?" he asked appearing with a glass of a brown looking liquid in his hand. He was answered with silence.

"What?" he asked as they just continued to squint at him in a 'what the fuck' manner.

"Don't you think we deserve somewhat of an explanation as to what the fuck was going through your head when you decided to disappear and not tell us and you somehow end up in Boston with four people who you have barely heard from in the past couple months?!" Lexy said with increasing volume.

Finn winced, "Kitten keep the voice down until I get this alcohol in my system."

"Finn, answer her," Colin said seriously. Finn sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I was tired of hearing you guys complain about the Rory and Logan crap," he said noticing Logan's eyes leave the floor to glare at Finn. "And tired of hearing love not being herself. I just needed to do something because it wasn't right."

"We could've come with you," Stephanie reasoned, "I would have _wanted _to."

"And done what doll? Asked her how she's feeling? Made her talk about what's been going on? Because that's the exact opposite of what she wanted. She didn't want to 'talk about it' doll, she just wanted to feel herself again at any cost."

Stephanie frowned, knowing well that if she had gone to see Rory she would've done exactly what Finn had said.

"I managed to get her back. She's happy again… for once," he said looking pointedly at Logan. "Give her time… let Tristan fix her."

Logan scoffed. "Fix her… by what sleeping with her? Is that what's supposed to fix my Ac-… _her_? Is the way to fix her? From in between her legs?"

"Well mate has that fixed you? Getting in between all your little flavors legs?" Finn asked innocently enough.

"Shut the fuck up Finn," Logan snapped back.

"Huntz," Colin scolded.

"Eh mate's just got his panties in a twist, don't baby him Colin," Finn simply stated. "He's just jealous of everyone that comes in contact with Rory because he doesn't have the balls to do it himself."

"Finn…" Lexy scolded. "Yes love?" he asked her with a big grin. When Lexy just glared he shrugged. "Are we done with this family meeting? Finn has some LDB business to go about," he said.

"What do you have to do for the LDB?" Logan asked confused but in still a harsh tone, after all he was hailed in as the Assistant Event Coordinator of the LDB as a freshman coming into Yale, one of the first freshmen in the history of the Society to reach such a high rank in his first year of college due to his legacy blood line. If Finn had anything to do, he thought he would know what it was.

"Max wants me to dig up some info on some of the other Societies we'll be going on retreat with over the summer," he said referring to the standing on campus President of the Life and Death Brigade.

"Well see you mates, loves," Finn said with a wink to Lexy before saluting his way out of the room. "Don't end up in another state again!" she scolded.

"Soo…." Stephanie said awkwardly. Logan just shook his head and left, most likely bound for the pub.

* * *

Rory almost laughed at how ridiculous she must have been for the past two years. "I can't believe I was that…"

"Emotionless? Stone hearted? Cold?" Tristan asked with a smirk.

"That's enough examples thanks," Rory said glaring playfully. "I mean, I can't believe I let myself sink that deep because of _him_."

"He wasn't worth it Rory and it just bothers me so much to think about how much he changed you without even knowing it."

Rory smiled at Tristan's concern that he had for her and undoubtedly would continue to have for her as she reached over the table to place her hand on his while he instinctively intertwined their fingers.

"I know that now Tristan," she admitted. But it didn't make up for all of the actions from her past that Tristan had no clue about.

_But hey, it's a start._

_

* * *

Reviews are welcome.  
_


	6. Picking Up

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story.**

**AN:** Gobble gobble! Happy thanksgiving everyone!

* * *

Rory found her life slowly piece itself back together in the next couple weeks. Slowly but surely, she returned back to the real Rory: laughing, joking sarcastically, and commenting with wit and charm that caught the attention of the room. Her once dull eyes shined again with exuberance, and she found herself renewing the past friendships that had slipped through her fingers in the past couple years.

It was hard to see how much had changed before her eyes, and how little she had noticed until now. However, she was a reporter, and she did pick up on things.

She picked up on Matt's scolding tones whenever it seemed like Austin and Tristan were getting into possessive arguments, which they had been partaking in a lot lately. They confused her, but the guys always brushed it off saying they were having a bad day, and Rory stayed naïve enough to believe them.

She picked up on Tristan's increased protective attitude over her. The way he was constantly touching her in a possessive manner in public, as if trying to shield her from everyone. She picked up on the random glances he'd steal at her and the way he would quickly turn away. She couldn't understand _why _though, why he would be embarrassed for looking at her. After all, he was her best friend and had seen her at her best and at her worst, bundled up and sick, and naked and refreshed from the shower. It puzzled her as to why he would care if he got caught looking at her.

She also picked up on the increased flirting she partook in with Tristan. Of course they had always flirted with each other, and they were always physically close and intimate but lately Rory picked up that there was more behind them on her side. She was beginning on to depend on him even more, and even would feel pangs of jealousy when she would see him talking to another girl with his usual smirk on his face. She couldn't even mask the anger when he would come back to talk to her, and he would notice immediately and tease her about it, leaving her miffed.

She picked up on the fact that she hadn't been able to sleep in her own bed since she had been herself again, because it felt cold and empty. Instead she opted to sleep beside Tristan, which wasn't out of the ordinary for them, but the fact that it was every night was beginning to seem less and less platonic. She picked up on the fact that when she was with him, waking up always with some part of his skin on hers, she couldn't help but smile.

And then there was the day that Stephanie finally grew tired of waiting for a call from Rory and decided to take things into her own hands. She dialed the number she knew by heart and heard it ring twice, thinking this would be another cold and empty conversation with a Rory she didn't know. However as Rory sat in her own bed reading a book in between her class and her time to head to the paper she saw the phone and smiled a genuine smile, and _that_ she picked up.

"Helloooo?" she sang with a smile on her face.

Stephanie was taken aback by the light and happy voice that answered the phone she pulled it away from her ear to look at it to make sure she had the right number.

"Rory?" Stephanie asked.

"Hey Steph! What's up?" she asked excitedly, trying not to make a big deal that things were most obviously different now.

"Oh you know the usual, just fucking flipping out because my best friend who's barely talked to me in the past I don't know two years just answered the phone singing?"

Rory blushed slightly and couldn't help but laugh. "Nice to talk to you too Stephie."

"Oh my gosh Rory you have no idea how much I've missed you!" Stephanie said tearing up a little at her own words. "It's been two years and I…we all thought things would never be the same again."

Rory sighed, her own eyes watering at the sound of friend's voice breaking. "I'm sorry Stephanie but I just didn't want to deal with it all."

"I know Rory. I'm just happy to hear _you _again," Stephanie said getting comfortable on her couch. She knew this was going to be a fairly long conversation.

"It's feel good to be me again," Rory admitted.

"So tell me… what the fuck's been going on in the life of Rory Hayden these past two years?" Stephanie asked quickly delving into the subject.

Rory sat back and looked at her clock. She had about an hour to fill her in; she was going to need to talk fast.

* * *

Rory made it into the news office just in time, despite her extended phone conversation with Stephanie. Smiling at her time efficiency, she took a seat at her desk and began to open up her files when Austin, Matt, and Tristan sauntered in acting like they owned the place.

"Get out!" Paris yelled immediately coming over to them and blocking their bee line to Rory's desk. "She just got here and I can't have my best reporter, who just recently got her personality back may I add, to be distracted by three of her man slaves!"

Paris Gellar, who reached her goal of attending Harvard, was the youngest news paper editor of The Harvard Crimson. She took the seat in the second semester of her sophomore year after she had written an exposé on the previous editor and his selling spots for stories for sexual favors. She had killed two birds with one stone: uncovering a corrupt Harvard practice and taking control of the paper. Needless to say she was satisfied in her work. She was friends with Rory still, at the same level relationship from high school, and also witnessed the changes she had partaken in both in person in through her work. She was happy to have her great reporter back.

"Paris, no one minds them here," a voluptuous brunette named Jenna said coming up to the men giving her best seductive grin. Rory scoffed and rolled her eyes before returning to typing.

"Yeah, see Paris? No one minds us here," Tristan smirked throwing a wink at the girl causing Rory's head to shoot up with a glare.

"Are you here for a reason or just to be a pain in the ass?" Rory asked harshly averting her gaze to her three friends instead of at Jenna.

Tristan's eyebrows shot up in amusement; Matt and Austin smirked. "A little touchy today are we Pinky?" he asked sitting down on the vacant corner of her desk.

"I was actually having a great day until you came in here. This is a place of work Tristan, if you wanted to pick up girls you could go do your business else where," Rory snapped back looking at her screen instead of at Tristan.

Austin looked at her suspiciously and Matt laughed to himself. It was hard to deny the fact that when Rory Hayden was jealous it was the cutest thing in the world. She turned red and lip jutted out in an unintentional pout, and her biting words were quite endearing.

Paris chuckled and Jenna glared at Rory. "Get back to work Jenna, don't you have a piece to write about the new brand toilet paper we're using?" Paris asked motioning for her to go. Jenna frowned but scribbled something on a piece of paper and handed it to Tristan with a wink and the words "Call me," in a seductive tone before she walked away. Rory shook her head in absolute disgust.

Tristan looked at Rory with an apologetic gleam in his eyes, his hands in the air in innocence but still holding onto the piece of paper. "Hey, I didn't ask for that," he said.

Rory rolled her eyes and continues typing. "Okay I think she's made it clear you're not welcome, so take that as a queue to go," Paris said attempting to push the burly boys out of her news room.

"No can do Paris," Austin said speaking up. "We have important extracurricular business to discuss with her," he said pointedly causing Rory to tear her gaze from the screen with a questioning look.

"What?" she asked her eyebrows furrowed.

"It can't be discussed here Rory, that's why we came to get you," Matt replied, his eyes hinting at her.

"Oh, okay well I just had to edit the article anyways," Rory said going to save the document.

"Hayden you just got here!" Paris scolded slamming her hands down on Rory's desk.

"I know but Paris this is important," Rory said pleading. "Please?" she asked, her lip jutting out. Paris sighed.

"Fine you can go, but not because of that ridiculous puppy dog face you just tried on me but because you're my friend and I don't want you to fall into one of your emo trips again," Paris said in a hushed tone.

Rory smiled and got up to hug Paris. "Thank you!" she exclaimed as Paris pushed her away quickly. "Hayden what did I tell you about emotions in the news room?" Paris said backing away. "Now go before these people think I've gone soft!"

Rory laughed and went to get her coat but Tristan was already holding it out for her to put it on. She put her arms through the sleeves quickly and silently and moved to walk ahead but was weighed down by Tristan's arm going around her shoulders. She glared up at him and he shot her a crooked smile.

"The only girl I came to pick up was you babe," he said with a wink crumpling up the paper Jenna had given him into a ball and throwing it over his shoulder. It landed easily in the trash bin without him even looking behind him.

Rory scoffed in amazement at his shot, "I swear it's like some sick perfect gene you have or something."

Tristan laughed, "That's probably what makes me irresistible."

"And so modest too," Austin said laughing as they walked through the corridors, his own jealousy not overwhelming his humor.

"Not to mention a great romp," Matt added causing his three friends to stare at him suspiciously. "Oh sorry, I guess Finns' visit rubbed off on me," Matt replied causing laughter.

"So what's going on with The Illuminati?" Rory asked softly trying to shrug Tristan's arm off her shoulder only to have it slide to her waist. She glared at him peripherally.

"Well Harvard's starting their Spring Break early this year and we need to get on new members and recruits," Matt replied.

Rory nodded running through her head the details of how they should going about doing this. They would first need to send out the invitations to existing members, then directions for inductees, then plan the "borrowing" and detainment of said members. Not to mention she had to plan the induction ceremonies and any prior meetings all before Spring Break. Although that left her with a little over 3 full months, it was a big task to handle but it was her responsibility.

The Illuminati was a secret society at Harvard, much like the Life and Death Brigade from Yale. The two societies, along with several other clandestine organizations in other schools that associated with each other, had many similarities. Both traced bloodlines as far back as to the founding of their schools, members that were descendants to these bloodlines being named as legacies and given leadership positions and special responsibilities. Both societies resided in absolute secrecy, the only people outside the members that were aware of the societies' presence was alumni and the other societies that they convened with on rare occasions.

While the Life and Death Brigade used the term "In Omnia Paratus" as their catch phrase, or "Ready for Anything", The Illuminati founders came up with "Veritas lux Mea" or "Truth is my Light" in 1636, later on Yale was founded along with the university's catchphrase "Lux et Veritas" or "Light and Truth", The Illuminati were unimpressed.

What set apart the Illuminati from all of the other secret societies though was their Scholarship Membership, which Rory was particularly fond of. While the organization did choose members based on last name and social standing, as well as money old and new, it also included member nominations. It wasn't necessarily who you knew that got you into The Illuminati but what you represented to the members. Every year, new upperclassmen were nominated by current standing members to join the ranks and create a new blood line to add to the already rich ones of the society.

Rory, Tristan, Austin, and Matt were all thoroughly involved in the planning of the events, new recruits, and every aspect of The Illuminati because they ranked incredibly high in the system. While Matt and Austin had easily worked their way up to the leadership positions they held, Rory and Tristan had been handed the positions in their freshman year due to the Dugrey and Hayden last names, making them legacies.

Rory was the president of The Illuminati and Tristan was the vice president, two positions they were given the chance to take control of because of their last names, but two spots they earned with their character. In their freshman year the two were easily seen as a perfect team. They were kind and compassionate, but strong and forceful when need be. As soon as they set foot on the Harvard campus The Illuminati were watching, and they were easily impressed by them. It wasn't long before they were inducted as legacies and rose to higher standings in the society.

"Guys, I was thinking for a Scholarship this year we should give it to Ayden," Austin suggested. Ayden, Rory and Tristan's friend from leadership conferences in high school, had become quite close with the two guys but had been AWOL for the past couple months from their lives for reasons they didn't know.

Rory gulped soreness down that was building in her throat, the kind you get when you're trying to keep from crying. "That sounds like a great idea!" Tristan agreed with while pounding fists with Austin. _Matt won't agree to it right? I mean he'd probably want a girl or something. _Rory thought hopefully.

"Fine with me," Matt replied. _Fuck_ _you Matt!_ Rory yelled in her head. "What do you think Pinky?" Tristan asked after feeling her tense up below him. Suspicions were quickly rising.

"Uh… I don't know I mean we haven't even seen him in such a long time," Rory reasoned. "Maybe he's trying to you know… find his own group for a while."

Matt raised his eye brow at the guys over Rory's head, they returned confused expressions. "We won't even know how to contact him about things and it might be awkward since we haven't seen him in months," Rory finished examining the ground.

"Well that won't be a problem because he's right there," Matt said pointing to a coffee cart where Ayden was indeed standing ordering a cup. Rory's head shot up and she cursed to herself. The guilt in her stomach rose up and made her nauseas. _Please don't call him over._

"Yo Ayden how you been man!?" Austin yelled over to him about 6 yards away. Ayden's head turned in recognition of the voice and he looked uneasy, his eyes going to Rory before quickly looking away. Rory shut her eyes tightly, trying to avoid the tears.

"Hey," he said almost angrily as he walked over the group. "I've been around," he replied quickly sending a glare to Rory.

"Okay… well…" Matt said trying to ease the apparent tension that suddenly formed.

"You okay man? What's up?" Tristan asked concern noticing the curt way he answered things.

"Nothing, I just find it weird that you're talking to me considering the situation. I thought you guys would have been all sided up by now, ready to kick my ass," Ayden replied harshly as before.

"What are you talking about?" Matt asked.

"Nothing," Rory shot in quickly. "Absolutely nothing."

Tristan removed his arm from his waist and turned to face her. "What the hell is going on Rory?" Tristan said with a glare sent to both her and Ayden.

"Shit Rory… I thought they would have known, I didn't mean to…" Ayden apologized his features softening.

"I…" Rory trailed off.

"Rory what's he talking about?!" Austin asked more forcefully becoming annoyed that he didn't know what the hell was going on. "What aren't you telling us?" Matt pressed.

Rory looked at Ayden for help, some sort of advice as to how to go about doing thing. He stared at her apologetically but with no motion that he was going to do the talking.

"Ayden, I'm sorry… I was so different back then. I wasn't me and I had no right to treat you the way I did," Rory said deciding to apologize instead.

Ayden's eyebrows furrowed together in an expression of anger, confusion, pain, and sympathy. "I know it wasn't you…. And I should've known. We were both at a different place back then. But still Rory… you chalked it up to nothing and that was fucked up."

"Ayden I don't know what to do to make it up to you. But I want you to know how extremely, and utterly sorry I feel about it all," Rory urged. "I was in pain and we were at the wrong place at the wrong time, and slightly intoxicated…" she explained not seeing how the expressions of Tristan, Austin and Matt changed from concern to glares.

"What do you mean _intoxicated_?" Tristan spat. "What the fuck exactly happened Rory that caused Ayden to feel like he couldn't talk to us anymore?"

Rory bit her lip uneasily and a tear fell down her cheek. This was the consequences of the old her. This was the reckless path she had followed and the friendships she had fucked up in the two years past. This was the terrible and absolutely disgusting person she had been staring her back in the face in the form of guilt towards her actions against Ayden Dennison.

With her back turned to the guys, Ayden was the only one to see it: the tear that he hadn't seen her shed in two years. Realization hit him as he realized that this Rory and the Rory from two months ago weren't one in the same. Whoever she was back then left this fragile, vulnerable, but open hearted girl to deal with all her past mistakes.

Ayden sighed heavily and pulled Rory into his arms which she quickly leaned into. Silent tears falling from her eyes as the three guys behind her still looked as angry as before. "Rory I know it's hard but they deserve to know _why_ things were like this," Ayden said softly down to her as he rubbed her back.

"I can't," she whispered to Ayden sadly. "I'm just so embarrassed," Rory added.

"Oh come on, I wasn't that bad in bed was I?" Ayden joked trying to get her more comfortable. He joked a little too loudly though and Rory's slight giggles were cut off by Tristan's angry voice.

"You _what_?" Tristan said through gritted teeth. Ayden and Rory froze.

* * *

**AN:** Loads of fun is coming ;]


	7. Good Enough

**Disclaimer: I only own Ayden, Matt, and Austin's characters. The rest are Gilmore Girls copyrighted.**

* * *

"_I can't," she whispered to Ayden sadly. "I'm just so embarrassed," Rory added._

"_Oh come on, I wasn't that bad in bed was I?" Ayden joked trying to get her more comfortable. He joked a little too loudly though and Rory's slight giggles were cut off by Tristan's angry voice._

"_You what?" Tristan said through gritted teeth. Ayden and Rory froze. Oh boy, here we go._

"I guess that was a little loud…" Ayden said uneasily pulling himself away from Rory who turned to Tristan, Austin, and Matt with a pained look on her face, they shot her angry glares.

"You fucking slept with _him_?" Tristan asked angrily pointing at Ayden.

"Hey!" Ayden exclaimed offended, but Tristan's look silenced him.

"Tristan please don't. It's not Ayden's fault," Rory said stepping towards him to put a hand on his arm. He pulled away quickly, his face still stern. "I know it's not his fault," Tristan replied coldly. Rory's face dropped as she realized what he was implying.

"Tristan it wasn't anyone's fault, we were both at a tough place in our lives and things just happened," Ayden explained coming to Rory's side.

"Things always just seemed to 'happen' with her, but it doesn't make things any better or make things right," Tristan shot back sending Rory a scrutinizing look.

"Man, you know she was different back than give her a break," Matt said coming to her defense.

"And by different you mean sluttier right?" Rory chimed in with an angry tone. "This is exactly the reason why things were so hard between us because you guys had to be so god damn judgmental about _my _life."

"Could you blame us when we watched you drink yourself to the point that you didn't have control of your actions let alone how far you would go with random guys? If you didn't share an apartment with Tristan and he wasn't kicking out half the guys who brought you home who knows what the fuck could've happened to you by now," Austin chimed in. Rory's guilt returned as quickly as it had been replaced by her anger.

"I…" she started.

"You of course didn't know, because you would wake up safe and sound in my bed as if nothing had happened the night before. And you fail to mention to us that you slept with Ayden? What the fuck were you thinking?" Tristan again yelled. "And what the fuck were you thinking?" Tristan added looking to Ayden whose jaw clenched in anger.

"Well, I was thinking about how my mom was injured in one of her Peace corps assignments while teaching in Jordan. I was thinking about how she was in critical condition and how much I didn't want to fucking think. I wanted to forget and I went to a bar and Rory was there, and things just happened," Ayden said his voice dangerously low while his explanation caused Matt, Austin, and Tristan to feel terrible.

"I thought if there was one thing you guys knew about me, it was to never judge me without getting my side of the story. My problems don't justify what Rory and I did that night, but your jealousy doesn't justify the way you're talking to her or me right now," Ayden added seeing right through Tristan. Tristan frowned at him. "I'm not jealous," Tristan argued lamely.

"No," Rory said, "He's not. He just loves thinking of me as a little girl who needs to be scolded." When no one said anything Rory sighed in frustration. "Look I'm going to go, I think we all need to cool off." she said as she nodded curtly before walking away running her hand through her hair angrily.

"I'm going to go after her," Ayden replied. "We need to talk," he added nodding at the guys in farewell before turning to jog after her.

Tristan stared after him shaking his head. "Un-fucking-believable"

* * *

He was drunk. No scratch that, he was shitfaced. Those were the excuses he was trying to give himself as to why he was doing this. They were lies of course, he knew why he was doing this. He had overhead Finn telling Stephanie about how Rory and Tristan slept in the same bed every night. He immediately beckoned for his always available on call bedmate.

"Faster Logan," the girl beneath him moaned as he continued his normal rhythm. He didn't see her face, he wasn't making love; he was fucking her. He didn't care what she wanted, he just wanted to forget. He knew that after this he would feel dirty, that even the hottest shower wouldn't be able to clean off the griminess this would leave him with, but for now he didn't care. He just wanted to fucking forget then forget that he was fucking the girl beneath him.

"Logan, I'm so close," she moaned from beneath him. He didn't care, he wasn't going to wait for her, because he knew he was closer. Soon enough he was seeing white and grunting with pleasure, Rory's name wanting to escape his lips desperately, but he couldn't. He wouldn't be the bitch that cried while having sex with one of the biggest sluts on campus.

The girl's moans beneath him heightened and he could tell she too was falling over the edge, instead of letting her ride it out he pulled out and left her halfway satisfied. He rolled off of her and onto his back.

"You can leave now," he told her coldly, putting his boxers back on after discarding of his condom.

"That's no way to treat a guest Logan," the blonde purred seductively as she lay naked in his bed.

"You're not a guest, you're a quick fuck and don't think for a second you mean anything more to me," Logan replied with his back to her.

The girl behind him laughed without humor. "It's funny, you would think that after you fucked things up with Rory you would stop the habits that got you there in the first place. But low and behold you only do it more. Smart move Huntzberger," she remarked sarcastically.

Logans' knuckles turned white as his fists tightened and his head whipped around to glare at her viciously. "Get the fuck out Marissa," he said through clenched teeth. She smiled sadistically before throwing her clothes on and leaving without another word. She knew she would be back, and the sad part was, so did Logan.

He sighed as he put his clothes on and went into the living area to find Finn and Stephanie still there. Expecting a mouthful of insults from them, he braced himself only to realize light sobs were coming from Stephanie as Finn held her comfortingly.

"What's wrong?" Logan asked, his tone not comforting but still concerned.

Stephanie looked up at him with swollen red eyes. "Why are you doing this to her Logan? Why are you doing this to _us_?" she asked softly.

"Stephanie don't," he instructed.

"We've put up with it for two years Logan, and we've tried to stop you because we care about you and we care about her. Those past girls have all been nameless, faceless, random girls. But Marissa, Logan? The same Marissa that caused Rory so much pain in the past?" Stephanie cried.

"Doll," Finn said comfortingly, not paying Logan any attention as he ran a hand up and down her back.

"I don't fucking know who you are anymore," Stephanie hiccupped. "Logan Huntzberger is dead and he left this heartless excuse of a human being behind."

Logan's face paled. He had never heard Stephanie talk to anyone like that, even her worst enemies never received such harshness.

"Stephanie you don't mean that," Logan said cautiously approaching her.

"I do," Stephanie answered back, "Because the Logan I know wouldn't have done have the shit you've done. The Logan Huntzberger I knew was stronger, and he deserved Rory. You don't."

That was Logan's breaking point. His guilt quickly washed away and was replaced by what can only be described as rage. "You think I didn't fucking know that Steph? Do you seriously think that for a moment in my life I actually deserved Rory?" he said his eyes watering automatically as Finn and Stephanie looked up to him surprised.

"God damnit Stephanie I knew the moment she walked onto the Chilton grounds that I would never deserve her. I tried my fucking hardest to keep her, to actually feel like for a second that I deserved that girl who seemed to love me despite the person I was," Logan continued as he ran a hand through his hair and began to pace.

"I knew that I was a lucky asshole to have her in my life and keep her as long as I had her for. Damnit I wanted so bad to own up and be as much to her as Tristan was," he said taking a seat on the couch with his head in his hands.

"That day she called for a break I knew it was just one step closer to losing her for good. I knew it was inevitable. I fucking knew it but it still hurt so damn much," Logan added as his voice began to break.

"I didn't want to think about it. About how much we'd gone through and about how her asking for a break meant that it would all be coming to an end soon. So I ran away from it, I did what I do best. I drank and then I slept around," at this point the great Huntzberger was crying into his hands. "And now here I fucking am, crying like a little bitch while she's playing house with Tristan."

He looked up at his friends with puffy eyes and they stared back at him sadly. "It wasn't ever that I stopped caring about her, it's not that I want to her hurt. It's that drinking and fucking is a lot easier than thinking that I finally got what was coming to me. I finally got what I deserved, to be alone."

"Oh Logan," Stephanie whimpered and she got up to hug him, which he for once fell into. He was no longer crying; but it didn't serve as an indicator to his emotions. He was still as vulnerable and upset as ever.

Colin and Lexy came in from tending to LDB business laughing, however when they saw Logan leaning into Stephanie's embrace with his eyes shut tight and Finn's hardened gaze towards the two, they quickly stopped. Colin looked at Stephanie who shot him a look that told him and Lexy to stay quiet as they took a seat.

"Finn," Logan said leaning back with his eyes closed and his head against the top of couch. "Tell me the truth."

"About what mate?" Finn asked seriously, a rare tone from him.

"About Rory," he said wincing a bit after saying her name for the first time in two years. "How is she doing?"

Finn sighed. As much as he hated to say it, he was with Rory on this one. After seeing how empty she had become cause of Logan, he wasn't going to baby Logan anymore. He wasn't about to tell Logan what he _wanted _to hear. Logan wanted to hear that she was happy and fucking Tristan because then he would feel a little bit better about his own actions. But Finn was about telling the truth, not about anything else.

"Before I went anywhere in Boston, I went to a bar," Finn said sounding completely irrelevant. "That's where I found Rory taking shots while getting felt up by some perv," he explained.

Logan's face paled while Colin shook his head at anger. Finn was unsure if it was towards Rory or the pervert.

"She was off her face when I went up to her. She didn't even recognize me. She just giggled a lot and told me I had nice hair while I told the guy who was all over her to fuck off , he said he had dibs and I told him I had a glock so he backed off."

Lexy scoffed at his absurd threat. "Finn you don't even know how to use a super soaker not let alone a handgun."

"I've got my very own personal super soaker doll," he said wiggling his eyebrows at her. She rolled her eyes and made a disgusted face.

"Continue Finnegan, he needs to hear this," Stephanie urged from next to Logan.

"You already know this?" Logan and Colin asked in sync. "That's beside the point," Stephanie said.

"Anyways I took her home that night," Finn said. "She gave me her keys and address, without even fucking knowing who I was," he said in a harder tone. "I walked into that apartment with her over my shoulder and you should've seen my mate's Tristan's face when I walked in."

Logan's eyes set into a glare as he grit his teeth.

"Don't give me that mate," Finn said addressing Logan's change of expression. "You should have seen how tired mate looked, and not the sleepy tired or anything like that either, it was weary… I got the feeling this wasn't the first time that Rory was brought home like that. Mate was spewin' until he realized who I was. Then he just sighed and took Rory from me. He asked me where I found her this time and I told him and he just nodded. I helped him bring her to the room and told me to leave so he could help her change."

Logan had an unreadable expression on his face. "As I left I heard him mumble something about killing you, and I'm sorry mate but at that moment I was ready to help," Finn admitted.

"What the fuck Finn?" Logan asked him angry but hurt at the same time.

"Finn you don't mean that," Lexy corrected.

"I do kitten, because you didn't see Rory and you didn't see Tristan," Finn answered.

"I don't understand why you guys have to live your life around these freaking two. I mean yeah, they're nice people, yeah Logan dated Rory, but shit like this happens in life and you just gotta deal with it. People _change_, friends go away. Why can't you guys accept that and move on? Why does this have to be the 'Logan and Rory' show 24-7?" Lexy said become annoyed and voicing the thoughts she had for a while now.

"You all know that I didn't join this group exactly willingly, but you guys grew on me and I started to really enjoy being with you guys before the whole breakup, but god this isn't what I signed up for!"

"Then leave," Colin said harshly causing four heads to turn to him in surprise.

"Colin!" Stephanie scolded in a whisper.

"I'm serious," Colin replied. "If she can't see how much Tristan, Rory, and even Austin and Matt mean to us then she hasn't been paying nearly enough attention to this friendship as we thought she was."

"Tristan and Rory saved us from ourselves in high school. They gave us a home instead of a house and a family instead of just parents. They changed our lives, and we wouldn't have been as happy as we used to be if it wasn't for them. Our lives wouldn't be _our lives_. So if Lexy can't understand that, then let her leave," Colin said to the room.

"You're an asshole," Lexy whispered angrily shaking her head and storming out of the room.

"No," Colin said after her, "I just know who's worth fighting for," he said looking Logan straight in the eye.

* * *

Rory read the same line in her book for the 3rd time before it was taken from her hands and thrown into the nearby bushes. She looked up angrily to see Ayden innocently staring down at her. "Hi," he said with a smile before taking a seat next to her.

"Hey," she sighed looking to the distance to avoid his gaze. An awkward silence ensued.

"I'm really sorry," they said both deciding to break the silence at the same time. They froze at their synchronization before breaking down into laughter.

"We're pretty pathetic," Rory admitted shaking her head with a smile. "I thought that high school would be the end of all this sleeping around crap. I really didn't see myself causing a scene in the middle of the Harvard campus."

"Well at least…" Ayden laughed. "No there's no silver lining to our inebriation. Well except for the fact…"

"Ayden!" Rory said slapping his arm with a blush.

Ayden feigned innocence. "What!? I was going to say except for the fact that we reconnected."

Rory nodded her head thinking she had avoided an innuendo. "In more ways than one," Ayden added beginning to crack up. Rory glared at him before following in laughter.

After the two had calmed down, Rory decided to get to point. "Ayden, I don't want who I was… and the mistakes I made to affect the friendships that mean the most to me. And believe me when I say that our friendship is one that I don't want to lose."

"I know Rory but you have to understand what waking up the next morning was like for me," Ayden said becoming serious. "I needed someone there for me the most at that time and I really though you would be there."

"But Ayden, we slept together! Friends don't sleep together. They talk, they watch movies, _they don't have sex!_" Rory said loudly enough for Ayden to look around embarrassed with Rory covering her eyes after realizing her volume. "It wasn't right," Rory added in a whisper.

Ayden made a frustrated noise and ran a hand through his dark already tousled hair. "You didn't make it much better by running away Rory. How was I supposed to react to that? You knew about my mom, you knew that I was going through one of the hardest fucking times of my life and you couldn't even just put yourself and all your issues aside for 24 freaking hours and just help me out?"

Rory frowned. She knew he was right, but she hated to face the fact that these problems weren't things she could blame on who she used to be, or on the drama with Logan. Because when it came down to it, her friends were always there for her in the past years but she was too selfish to be there in return. She looked down at her mitten covered hands in embarrassment.

Ayden recognized her sign of defeat and sighed before putting one of his hands over both of hers. Rory looked up to meet his green eyes, hiding beneath her lashes in shame. "You're right Ayden. I should've been there and I'm sorry. I know that doesn't make up for it but I _will _make it up to you," Rory said hurriedly.

Ayden stared at her for a moment before nodding and kissing her forehead. "Apology accepted Hayden. Now come on let's get you some coffee and catch up," he said pulling her up off the bench while taking her book from her.

"That's it?" Rory asked surprised, "No begging, no groveling, no sending me to the guillotine?"

Ayden chuckled. "Nah, but over coffee you can praise me about how amazing I am in bed," he said with his eyes sparkling from his teasing.

Rory groaned but smiled besides herself. _At least it's not awkward._ But in the back of her mind she knew that things with Tristan would not come as easily.

* * *

**AN:** Review pleasee! Thanks for your support!


	8. All Over Again

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing.

**AN:** Major Trory action here

* * *

"Where you going?" Rory asked looking up from her book as Tristan headed for the front door dressed in dark washed jeans and a collared pull over sweater.

"Out," he replied snippily.

"Tristan seriously? It's been a week and I just want to know where you're going. Can you at least cut the silent treatment long enough to give me that?" Rory asked frustrated. _He's infuriating. Why can't he just let this Ayden thing go?_

"Fine, I'm going on a date Hayden," he replied with her back to her before grabbing his coat and leaving. The slam of the door behind him caused Rory to frown. "I think I liked the silent treatment better," Rory said to the empty room throwing her book onto the table.

_Hands over my head, thinking _

_"What else could go wrong?"_

_Would've stayed in bed,_

_how can the day be so long?_

Tristan sighed as he slammed the door behind him and threw his coat on furiously. He hated that she could make him like this. In the period of the week he decided he wasn't going to talk to Rory, his feelings grew out of his own control. His jealousy was unbearable and he finally had to admit to himself that he was falling for his best friend. Again.

But for the time being, until he could calm down a little, he felt much better completely ignoring her. This date he had set up was just another distraction so that he wouldn't have to be stuck in a house. It was some random girl, Kenzie, he met at the coffee shop and was taking out. She was cute, blonde hair and about a foot shorter than him. But of course, she wasn't Rory.

She lived in a building right across the street and they had picked a nearby restaurant, so it was no time before he found himself sitting across from the Boston University student, listening to her drone on about how she had decided to go Vegan after seeing Legally Blonde 2. Tristan always seemed to attract these girls, the ones without much substance, the ones who had little quirks that would remind him of Rory only to realize that no one could ever replace Rory in his heart.

"So what do you think?" Kenzie asked him, looking up with expectant eyes. Tristan grasped for words that would save him from looking like a complete ass, not that he really cared for her opinion. Luckily, he was saved by the waiter.

"Hey guys my name's Ayden and I'll be your server today can I start you off with something to drink?" He asked paying no attention to his customers as he tried to flip to a clean page on his note pad. Looking up he was met by a blonde twirling her hair around her finger and Tristan Dugrey with his eyes set in a death stare. "…because I could sure use one right about now," Ayden added, mumbling.

"I'll have a club soda with lime please," Kenzie ordered and Ayden nodded as he wrote it down. He turned his attention to Tristan who remained as straight faced as before.

"Do you guys serve 'Deep Dark Secrets'," he asked toying with his menu. Ayden sighed, "Never heard of it."

"Oh really? What about 'Pink Faced Liars'," Tristan tried again raising his voice a little higher.

"No, sorry," Ayden replied grinding his teeth not letting Tristan get to him.

"Dirty Sex?" Tristan urged on. Ayden frowned in response. "Well what do you recommend, Ayden, I'm sure you're an expert on drinks. I really wanna get wasted you know? Do something I'll regret," he said with a smirk.

"Might I suggest a Jealous Queen?" Ayden replied quickly. "Actually, I look at you and think, 'Absolut Asshole', so I'll get you one right away," he corrected with a sarcastic smile leaving Tristan seething and Kenzie confused out of her mind.

"Uh… do you guys know each other?" she asked.

"You can say that," Tristan replied offhandedly while looking at his menu. His tone convinced Kenzie to ask no more.

Ayden returned shortly with the drinks, gently placing Kenzie's down with a smile and slamming Tristan's down in front of him. "So you guys all set or do you need a couple more minutes looking at the menu?"

"I think we're good," Kenzie said nicely. "I'll have the spinach salad please, hold the feta." Ayden nodded.

"Rib eye, with a side of the bacon mashed potatoes and a baked potato with sour cream and butter," Tristan said shoving his menu into Ayden's hands, not realizing the offended looks Kenzie was giving him.

"Tristan, I don't know if I could stomach watching you eat all of that," Kenzie whispered to him holding on to her menu and forcing Ayden to stay.

"Why?" Tristan asked rudely, making it apparent he missed her whole animal rights spiel. Kenzie stared at him with her mouth agape before shaking her head and getting up, grabbing her purse and coat, "I just remember I have somewhere I have to be. Goodbye Tristan," she said storming out in disgust.

Ayden chuckled as he watched the girl leave the restaurant. "Good job asshole," Ayden said to Tristan who glared at him. But Ayden knew Tristan better than that. Beneath his glare he saw the unmistakable look of pain.

"Oh come on man you didn't actually have feelings for her did you?" Ayden asked Tristan, who ignored him and started to get money out to pay for the drinks. "Or is this about Rory?"

"Oh you would know all about Rory wouldn't you Dennison?" Tristan said standing up to look Ayden in the eyes.

"Tristan, can you quit this bullshit? There's nothing between me and Rory. If you keep acting the way you are with her you're gonna force her back into the Ice Princess mode," Ayden said seriously.

"She can handle it," Tristan replied coldly.

"She was handling it because of you, but if you keep treating her like shit then what's stopping her?"

Tristan blinked, he didn't like it when Ayden had a point.

"And face it, you're not mad because she hid it from you. You're mad because you're jealous. You can't stand the fact that you have to look in the face the guy who slept with the girl that you're pining for."

Tristan opened his mouth to come up with an excuse but none came out. "Go back home and go talk to her Tristan," Ayden advised. "Don't build up your list of regrets."

Tristan clenched his jaw. He knew Ayden was right. He couldn't bring himself to be mad at Rory or Ayden anymore because in his heart of hearts he knew he desperately needed Rory as much as she needed him. "This must be what an epiphany feels like," Tristan mumbled and Ayden couldn't help but smile.

"Thanks man," Tristan said holding a hand out. Ayden nodded and took it, doing a man hug with Tristan. "I'm sorry man… I just…"

"Don't worry about it Tristan," Ayden replied, "I gotta get back to work… but give me a call, let me know how things work out alright?"

Tristan nodded and left a 50 dollar tip before sprinting out of the restaurant and back to his apartment. He was certainly throwing caution to the win, he was going to pour his heart out to Rory and he didn't care what the outcome would be; he just knew that he had to get this off his chest.

* * *

_Never believed that things happen for a reason_

_But how this turned out, removed all my doubts,_

_So believe, that for you I'd do it all over again_

_Do it all over again_

_All I went through, led me to you_

_So do it all over again, for you_  
-

After Tristan stormed out of the apartment Rory was left staring at the same word in her book for a good ten minutes due to a familiar, unwelcome feeling rising up in her chest. It was a feeling she knew well, the wrenching pain in the chest that made her want to puke, but the soreness in her throat she knew was just a sign of tears threatening to fall. It was like a punch in the stomach, telling her something was terribly wrong. It was jealously.

"Shit!" she exclaimed throwing her book on the ground in frustration. _How could I have let this happen? I'm supposed to be hurting and in pain over Logan; I'm __**not **__supposed to be jealousy over Tristan. And thinking about how nice it is in his arms… and falling in love with him…_ "Oh my god!" Rory yelled louder not believing what she was thinking.

She got up and started pacing around her and Tristan's living room, trying to figure out what the hell she was going to do about this. She picked up her cell phone and dialed a number that she should've dialed a long time ago.

Rory bit her lip nervously as the phone rang. Finally a comforting voice came on, "Rory? Is everything okay?"

"Mom! Yeah I'm fine, everything thing is fine!" she exclaimed quickly, assuring her mom didn't take things the wrong way.

On the other end of the line Lorelai looked at the phone surprised. Rory hadn't been the one to call her since the break up nor had she ever spoke with such emotion. Covering the speaker, she turned to Chris who was looking at her concerned after hearing Rory's ringtone. "She's fine but… she kind of sounds… happy?" Chris stared back at her excitedly, but confused. Lorelai quickly put Rory on speaker. "You're on speaker," she quickly informed.

"Listen," Rory sighed, "I know I haven't been me for a while now, and I'm more than sorry that I let everything get in the way of us."

"Rory, it wasn't completely your fault… we haven't exactly been there as much as we should have been," Chris admitted. And it was true. Ever since Rory and Tristan's senior year, the four of them: Chris, Lorelai, Liz, and Eric had been taking care of their family businesses, inadvertently becoming the type of parents they always promised they would never me: Society Parents. "Hun, we've honestly missed you and Tristan and all of your friends so much…"

"Lorelai…" Christopher scolded. "You know the non-asshole… uh ones…" Lorelai tried to correct.

Rory couldn't help but laugh despite the sting she felt from memories of how things used to be. "Mom… it's okay. Finn helped me get over things…"

"Finn?" Both her parents exclaimed.

"Yeah, tall Australian," Rory mentioned absentmindedly, "But that's not why I called. I called to talk about something…"

"Oh my god she's pregnant!" Chris exclaimed jumping up out of his seat. "What?" Rory exclaimed over the phone. "God Dad no! No!"

Lorelei laughed. "Excuse your father, he's been a little high strung lately from all of the business deals," she explained while shooing Chris out of the room before he had a heart attack. "So what's the matter hun?"

Rory fiddled with the hem of her shirt not really knowing how to put it… without sounding desperately ignorant. "I uh…"

Lorelai smirked. Despite their long term separation, she was still a mother with the gift of motherly intuition. "There's someone new isn't there? And you're feeling bad because you no longer feel bad?"

If Lorelai had seen Rory's shocked face she would've had her answer. "It's something like that… " Rory replied uneasily.

"Sweetheart, honestly, you've spent more than enough time wallowing and feeling bad. You've felt bad for yourself, for your friends, for him. I think it's time that you finally feel good for yourself again. I know you probably don't want to hear that. I know it would probably easier for you if I told you that you should talk to Logan or something… but you've spent a long enough time. Honestly, I would be more concerned if **didn't** have feelings for someone new," Lorelai rambled.

Rory opened her mouth to protest but found no words because she knew her mother was right. She couldn't run from it and she shouldn't even want to. She was about to voice her agreement when she heard the door slam into the wall from the force of being opened. She jumped and turned to see Tristan barge through out of breath. "Mom, you're right, I'll call you right back. I gotta go bye," she said hanging up despite her mom protesting on the other end.

* * *

Tristan stormed in to find Rory jumping to face him her phone pressed again her ear. She said something he didn't acknowledge before hanging up and staring at him in silence. There was a look in her eyes Tristan didn't recognize that was quickly changed into hardness.

"How was your date?" Rory asked coldly walking past him and into the kitchen. He chuckled and followed her into the kitchen. He was over being mad at her now, and found her anger extremely entertaining.

"Very enlightening," he admitted. Rory scowled. "That's nice," she replied.

"Rory, look at me," Tristan said forcefully, grabbing her arm to pull her from the fridge and look at him. Although she turned she kept her eyes on the ground, refusing to let him see her eyes… because if he did she knew that the cat was out of the bag.

"I'm sorry for being mad at you for so long, and I'm sorry for the silent treatment," he admitted running a hand through her hair. Rory said nothing in reply.

"I was mad at you for the wrong reasons," he added. "I was mad at you… because"

"I was mad at you because I was jealous. I was mad at you because I wanted it to be me," he continued, "I was mad you because deep down… I want you to be mine," he finished. That's what it took for Rory to look up at him, her eyes swimming with emotion.

"Tristan…" Rory whispered.

"And I'm sorry if you don't feel the same way… but you deserved to know why …" but he was cut off by her lips on his. The kiss was soft, but lingering, undemanding, but meaningful. There was no denying the sparks it ignited deep within both of them. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he put his hands on her hips pulling him closer. After a sufficient amount of time, they pulled apart, slowly opening their eyes to look at each other, slightly out of breath from the rush of adrenaline pulsing through their veins.

"I've always been yours," Rory replied seriously. "There is never anyone who can take your spot in my heart Tristan, you know that."

Tristan ran a hand through her hair and smiled at her, "I want to be with you Rory."

"You already have me Tristan, I'm yours," Rory replied with a smile before their lips met once again in a kiss.

_Oh, who ever thought a day gone so wrong_

_Would turn out so lovely?_

_I'm so glad I found you_

_Even though the day went so wrong_

_I wouldn't change a thing_

_Oh I'd do it, I'd do it all over again_

_All I went through, led me to you_

_So do it all over again _

_I'd do it all over, I'd do it all over_

_I'd do it all over, for you, for you_

_All I went through, led me to you_

_So do it all over again_

_

* * *

_

"You need to apologize to her," Steph said as Colin rubber her feet, "she's really hurt."

"Sure I'll apologize to Lexy," Colin said causing Steph to look up surprised, "After she stops being a bitch about Rory." Stephanie sighed.

"Colin, listen Rory's my friend too… one of my bests. But you have to understand that Lexy doesn't know Rory like we do. She doesn't understand."

"So she doesn't understand loyalty?" Colin shot back.

Stephanie scoffed. "Oh what so you'll crucify her for suggesting that this Rory, Logan thing has gone on for too long but you won't realize the responsibility Huntz has this whole thing happening in the first place?" she asked pulling her feet from his lap to stand up.

"They're two completely different situations Steph!" Colin said exasperated, he couldn't believe they were getting in a fight about two separate fights. Did that even make sense?

"But the principle of the matter is the same for both of them!" she yelled back. "You defend Logan because he misinterpreted the meaning of the situation, but you get mad at Lexy for not understanding our relationship with Tristan and Rory? You're can't do that!" Stephanie fumed. She knew that technically she was defending Lexy on her outburst about her best friend Rory, but she was hoping more that she could finally get Colin to see that Logan was wrong. "You have to pick, if you support Logan against Rory, then you _have _to support Lexy against Rory too," Stephanie said hoping he picked the right answer.

Colin opened his mouth with a look defeat that gave Stephanie the hope that maybe he would be taking Rory's side against Logan. However, his mouth shut as soon as it opened and he grabbed his keys from the coffee table, heading for the door with his coat.

"Where are you going?" Stephanie asked him.

"To apologize to Lexy," Colin replied seriously and Stephanie frowned. So much for that.


	9. Drive

**AN:** It's summer break before my senior year college. I'm going to try updating my stories and maybe even trying to finish them before I join the real world.

* * *

The next couple of weeks passed quickly for both groups of friends, with exams and Spring break fast approaching, school work and secret society plans were overwhelming for both the Elis and the Harvard goers.

The Society Mixer and Competitions were events that took place once every three years, and it just happened to land on the group's Junior year of college. The mixer was the first time that societies from all across the country, of several Ivy League schools, would meet. It was a way for everyone to size up their competition but at the same time publicly induct new members, but most of all socialize and network among themselves.

This was all in preparation of the Society Competitions, the biggest gathering of Secret Ivy League Societies, in which even international societies took place in. In this event all the organizations would compete for each other. There wasn't a tangible prize, because Lord knows that these wealthy people could already afford anything they needed. Instead, the winner had three years worth of bragging rights, and the next representatives of their organization got to pick the locations of the Mixer and Competition.

Yale had won the last competition, so it was in the hands of Logan Huntzberger, Event Planner of the LDB, to choose the locations.

"I don't even want anything to do with this shit," Logan said over a mug of cold beer as he sat with Finn and Colin at the Pub. Ever since his break down with his group of friends, he hadn't brought any girls back to his dorm, nor had he hit on anyone new, but he wasn't exactly healed. He just focused more on pointless activities like drinking, gambling, and betting on everything. The guys didn't try to bring up Rory to him, and when Stephanie did he would just change the subject.

"Oh god forbid the mighty Logan Huntzberger has to choose two venues for a secret society event," Colin remarked sarcastically sipping on his own brew. "Just flip a coin or something."

"Or let me pick mate!" Finn suggested.

"Finn it's not your job to pick the place, it was your job to find info on the other teams," Logan replied, "Which by the way you haven't mentioned anything about yet, especially about Harvard's organization, they're our biggest competition."

Finn just smiled in response, in fact, he had done plenty of research and knew several things about each and every Secret Society that would be taking part in the festivities, especially about the Illuminati. He knew very well that Rory and Tristan were the Vice President and President of the said organization, but he was Finn, and there was no way he was going to release that information, it was his little secret. "Don't worry mate, I have it under control."

Colin eyed him suspiciously but let it go, after all Finn always seemed suspicious. "Maybe he has a point," Colin suggested surprising both Finn and Logan.

"I mean we all have pretty high positions in the LDB," Colin said in a whisper, "And if you just make a decision that's half assed then everyone's going to be blaming us on a crappy mixer and competition location. No offense to you Logan, but you haven't been the pinnacle of fun lately, and I mean it's not like I'm going to pick a place filled with happiness and good times."

Logan looked offended while Finn nodded enthusiastically, agreeing whole heartedly. "Mate, I know fun!" Finn bragged with a huge smile. "Let me do this! You won't regret it!"

Logan looked between his two friends, Colin giving him a look that read 'what else could we do?' and Finn with his breath held in anticipation.

"Fine," Logan grumbled.

And that is how every member of each organization received an invitation in the form of an email stating:

TheTriAnnual Society Mixer is set to take place on Spring Break,  
Hosted by the Life and Death Brigade  
In **Agnesbanks, Sydney, Australia**!  
On the Simm Estate (directions attached)

Feel the thunder from down under!

Rory smiled as she read the invitation, she too had done the research on the other Brigades and knew that her friends and… others were a part of the Life and Death Brigade, and the invitation practically screamed Finn.

Two arms wrapped around her from behind, kissing the top of her head as she sat at the counter with her lap top. She knew from the scent it wasn't Tristan. "What you so happy about?" the voice asked her curiously looking at her screen.

"Finn chose the location for the Mixer," Rory laughed, "Of course he would choose the mother land," Rory replied turning to straddle the chair and face her friend. "What brings you up here?" she asked kissing his cheek with a smile.

"Missed you," Austin replied with a cheeky grin. Rory smiled back. She did have to admit that she hadn't spent nearly as much time with Matt and Austin ever since she and Tristan got together. She bit her lip, in fact she didn't remember ever telling either one of them that she and Tristan were official now and she knew for a fact that Tristan had not or she would have heard some kind of teasing by now.

"I missed you too," Rory replied, maneuvering herself out of the tall chair to hug Austin around his waist. He rested his head on top of hers. "Feel like going for a drive?" he asked. She smiled into his neck. They used to do this back over the summers he and Matt would come home from Zuberg, the two of them would just drive around when they had nothing to do, letting the road take them where they wanted, just talking about nothing.

"Absolutely," Rory replied grabbing her coat.

_We drive tonight,  
and you are by my side.  
We're talking about our lives,  
like we've known each other forever._

This time the road had led them to the Harbor, parked and just watching the waves crashing against the docks and the stars twinkling, it had turned night while they drove.

_The time flies by,  
with the sound of your voice.  
It's close to paradise,  
with the end surely near._

They had talked about everything; classes had been brought up, their old friends, their new ones, the situation with Aiden, and even the break up with Logan. Now they sat in a comfortable silence with their seats reclined, Rory's hand in Austin's as they looked at the stars through his opened sun roof.

_And If I could only stop the car  
and hold onto you,  
and never let go...  
I'll never let go._

"I've missed this so much," Rory whispered. "Just spending time with you like the old days. Do you remember them?"

Austin laughed, "Rory I couldn't forget those nights with you even if I tried. They're what got me through Zuberg."

_As we round the corner to your house  
you turned to me and said,  
"I'll be going through withdrawal of you  
for this one night we have spent."_

Rory smiled and turned to face on of her best friends and noticed something in his eyes that was so familiar it shocked her; while Rory was pretty naïve and oblivious to things, she knew that look. "Austin…" she said in a pained voice. "Me and Tristan are together," she said in barely a whisper.

Austin's grip loosened ever so slightly on her hand and it reinforced Rory's hunch. "That's great Rory," Austin said softly, refusing to look at her. "I'm so happy that you've found someone who makes you happy," he lied.

_And, I want to speak these words  
but I guess I'll just bite my tongue,  
and accept 'someday, somehow'  
as the words that we'll hang from._

_And I... I don't want to speak these words._  
_Cause I, I don't want to make things any worse._

He let go of her hand and put his seat back into the upright position, forcing Rory to do the same. "Austin you don't have to lie to me," Rory said covering his hand with her own.

Austin finally turned to look at her, seemingly searching her eyes for something. "He's a lucky guy," he said with a sad smile, before shifting the car into gear. That was the last thing said for the rest of the car ride.

_Why does tonight have to end?  
Why don't we hit restart, and pause it at our favorite parts.  
We'll skip the goodbyes.  
If I had it my way, I'd turn the car around  
and runaway, just you and I.  
_

Rory stepped back into her apartment with a sigh, leaning against the closed door tiredly. She had said goodbye to Austin with a kiss on the cheek and a hug, feeling almost as if this was their last goodbye. She knew it wasn't though; the two of them had gone through too much together for that to be it. She knew she just had to give time to heal… just like she had needed with Logan. Nevertheless, she had never wanted to hurt him, and it hurt her to know she did.

* * *

"That you Rory?" Tristan asked coming from his room to find Rory staring into space.

"Hey," she said smiling sadly at him as he approached her.

"Where were you?" he asked worried about her expression.

"I went for a drive with Austin," Rory replied looking down at her hands. "Oh," Tristan replied blankly.

They didn't need to say anything to each other to know what had happened, instead Tristan just pulled Rory into his arms and kissed her deeply. "He'll find someone he cares about as much as I care about you Ror," Tristan said, his forehead leaning against her.

"I hope so," Rory whispered.

* * *

"You okay man?" Matt asked coming into their living room to find Austin staring into space with an empty expression in his eyes.

"She's going out with Tristan," Austin said quietly, as if not wanting to startle himself.

"Oh wow that's gr…." Matt started off excitedly before trailing off realizing it was the reason for Austin's sadness, "I'm sorry, man…."

Austin couldn't help but laugh at that, Matt was such an idiot sometimes. "Nice cover."

"Heh," Matt said embarrassed. "Did you tell her?"

"I didn't have to… she just knew," Austin said shrugging.

"Don't let this ruin things Austin, you know that Tristan's feelings we just as serious, if not more serious that yours. You had your shot with her, maybe you should just find someone else," Matt said as nicely as he could put it. Austin's head shot up with a glare.

"Look don't try and fight me okay?" Matt said holding his hands up in innocence. "Because we both know who'll win." Austin raised an eye brow at him. "you," Matt replied uneasily.

"Damn straight," Austin responded.

"But come on," Matt reasoned. "We're going to Australia for the mixer. There'll be plenty of girls there… you know used to going down under," Matt said wiggling his eyebrows.

Austin punched him in the arm but laughed… Matt had a point.

* * *

"So what's going to happen at the Mixer exactly?" Lexy asked Stephanie as they stood in line for the coffee cart.

"Well, we usually like to get the ceremonies out of the way to leave lots of room for the fun stuff. So we'll probably do the opening ceremony, followed by induction of new members which involves you and all the other 'borrowed' inductees, and then housing assignments," Stephanie explained quietly.

"Housing assignments? What are we like dorming?" Lexy asked getting disgusted at the idea. Even though she wasn't from society, she had gotten used to all the special treatment that she received from being friends with Logan, Colin, Finn, and Steph.

Stephanie laughed. "No nothing like that. Each year, the lead members of the team get assigned to share a house with the lead members of another team, the rest of the members are put into hotels farther from the activities, they have to take shuttles to and from the Estate."

Lexy frowned, "So I have make friends with people in the hotel?" Lexy was fiercely independent, and didn't like socializing.

Stephanie laughed, "No you're our inductee turned hostage so you get stay with us."

"Thank God," Lexy sighed in relief. "So what team are we going to be sharing a house with?"

"You're not supposed to know all of this," Stephanie laughed. "The guys are gonna kill me when they realize you know exactly what's going on." Lexy shrugged.

"According to Finn we're staying with the group that's our biggest competition," Stephanie said in reply anyways being interrupted by ordering her coffee.

"Can't wait," Marissa's voice said from behind them, apparent she was listening in on the conversation the whole time, "Roomies," she added with a wink before walking away with her cup of coffee.

"Oh just peachy," Lexy replied.

"It's bad enough she gets a leadership position cause of her last name, I totally forgot that meant she would be staying with us too," Stephanie whined.

"Don't worry, maybe something shiny from the other team will distract her," Lexy reasoned. "Who are they anyways."

"It's some organization called Illuminati," Stephanie replied with a shrug, "I was hoping they were from Harvard, but Finn told me they were from Princeton."

Lexy nodded, "How do you know she's in one of the teams?" she asked referring to Rory.

"I don't… but if she were in one, she would be in Harvard's… considering she goes there," Stephanie reasoned. "But then again, I don't see her being into that stuff."

She had no idea how wrong she was. Didn't she know by now to never trust an Aussie with a trick up his sleeve?


End file.
